Job 7

17–21 What is man that you make so much of him? (verse 17). David asked the same question in Psalm 8:3–4, but David's question was asked in wonder and awe. Job's question is asked in anger and dread. Job believes that God is making “much of him” in order to torment him, to test him every moment (verses 18–19). This, of course, was true; but Job didn't understand the reason for God's testing.

Finally Job asks God why He doesn't just forgive his sins (verse 21). Job is not admitting here that he has committed a sin worthy of such great punishment, but he is asking for God's mercy:“If I have sinned,please forgive me. I am about to die, and then it will be too late.”

In these past two chapters, Job has again come very close to “cursing” God. He has implied that God was treating him unjustly. God would later rebuke Job for saying such things²⁶ (Job 40:2,8). But God also understood the depth of Job's distress, and in the end He affirmed Job and restored him to his former state.

Ideally, Job should not have spoken as he did; he should not have felt as he did. And neither should we, when we face times of distress. But God does invite us to be open with Him, to express our deepest feelings—even feelings of anger and despair. God knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). And if we will but cling to Him throughout our trial, He will restore us in due time (see 1 Peter 5:6–7).