WILL YOU FORGIVE MY SINS?

Passage: Job 7:1-21

Key verse: 21

NIV

7 “Do not mortals have hard service(A) on earth?(B)
    Are not their days like those of hired laborers?(C)
2 Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,(D)
    or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,(E)
3 so I have been allotted months of futility,
    and nights of misery have been assigned to me.(F)
4 When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’(G)
    The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.(H)
5 My body is clothed with worms(I) and scabs,
    my skin is broken and festering.(J)

6 “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,(K)
    and they come to an end without hope.(L)
7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;(M)
    my eyes will never see happiness again.(N)
8 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer;
    you will look for me, but I will be no more.(O)
9 As a cloud vanishes(P) and is gone,
    so one who goes down to the grave(Q) does not return.(R)
10 He will never come to his house again;
    his place(S) will know him no more.(T)

11 “Therefore I will not keep silent;(U)
    I will speak out in the anguish(V) of my spirit,
    I will complain(W) in the bitterness of my soul.(X)
12 Am I the sea,(Y) or the monster of the deep,(Z)
    that you put me under guard?(AA)
13 When I think my bed will comfort me
    and my couch will ease my complaint,(AB)
14 even then you frighten me with dreams
    and terrify(AC) me with visions,(AD)
15 so that I prefer strangling and death,(AE)
    rather than this body of mine.(AF)
16 I despise my life;(AG) I would not live forever.(AH)
    Let me alone;(AI) my days have no meaning.(AJ)

17 “What is mankind that you make so much of them,
    that you give them so much attention,(AK)
18 that you examine them every morning(AL)
    and test them(AM) every moment?(AN)
19 Will you never look away from me,(AO)
    or let me alone even for an instant?(AP)
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you,(AQ)
    you who see everything we do?
Why have you made me your target?(AR)
    Have I become a burden to you?[a](AS)
21 Why do you not pardon my offenses
    and forgive my sins?(AT)
For I will soon lie down in the dust;(AU)
    you will search for me, but I will be no more.”(AV)

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Footnotes
  1. Job 7:20 A few manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition and Septuagint; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text I have become a burden to myself.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Job Continues: My Life Has No Hope

7 “Has not man (A)a hard service on earth,
    and are not his (B)days like the days of a hired hand?
2 Like a slave who longs for (C)the shadow,
    and like (D)a hired hand who looks for his (E)wages,
3 so I am allotted months of (F)emptiness,
    (G)and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
4 (H)When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’
    But the night is long,
    and I am full of tossing till the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with (I)worms and (J)dirt;
    my skin hardens, then (K)breaks out afresh.
6 My days are (L)swifter than (M)a weaver's shuttle
    and come to their end without hope.

7 “Remember that my life is a (N)breath;
    my eye will never again see good.
8 (O)The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
    while your eyes are on me, (P)I shall be gone.
9 As (Q)the cloud fades and vanishes,
    so he who (R)goes down to Sheol does not come up;
10 he (S)returns no more to his house,
    nor does his (T)place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will not (U)restrain my mouth;
    I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
    I will (V)complain in (W)the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or (X)a sea monster,
    that you set a guard over me?
13 (Y)When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
    my couch will ease my complaint,’
14 then you scare me with dreams
    and terrify me with visions,
15 so that I would choose strangling
    and death rather than my (Z)bones.
16 I (AA)loathe my life; I would not live forever.
    (AB)Leave me alone, for my days are (AC)a breath.
17 (AD)What is man, that you make so much of him,
    and that you set your heart on him,
18 (AE)visit him every morning
    and (AF)test him every moment?
19 How long will you not (AG)look away from me,
    nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind?
    Why have you made me (AH)your mark?
    Why have I become a burden to you?
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
    and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in (AI)the earth;
    you will (AJ)seek me, (AK)but I shall not be.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Now, Job addresses his words purely to God. This chapter is his questioning prayer from the bottom of his heart. He asks why human life seems just to be a long, hard service with no relief (1-3). Because of his broken health, Job cannot even sleep peacefully at night (4, 13-14).

Job wonders why God needs to make such a big deal out of his life. He asks, “Why can’t God just leave me alone for a while?” (16-19) We may ask the same question at times when God’s calling seems too much for us to bear. Being a chosen people is both a cross and our greatest blessing.

Finally, Job comes to the topic of his sins. He doesn’t claim he never sinned; he knows he is a sinner. But he asks why God would seemingly rather punish him than forgive his sins (2

-21). Job doesn’t know that God freely forgives all sins in Jesus, but in his struggle, he has come near to the gospel truth—what we need above all is forgiveness of our sins. Thank God that forgiveness is ours in Jesus!

Prayer: Father, thank you for caring about me, even when I want to be left alone. I trust you will never give me more than I can bear. Thank you for Jesus’ forgiveness.

One Word: God forgives our sins.