Job 42:6 NRSV Therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Also NIV, NET, etc.) Tanakh Therefore, I recant and relent, Being but dust and ashes. OR Therefore I recant, and I change my mind/reconsider about dust and ashes.
Gen. 18:27 Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
Job 42:7-8 hl,aeþh' ~yriïb'd>h;-ta, hw"±hy> rb<ôdi rx; a; yhiªy>w: ^b. ypiûa; hr" x' yni m'yte(h; zp;äylia/-la, hw" hy> rm,ayo w: bay=ai-la, `bay*ai ydiîb.[;k. hn"ßakn> yl;²ae ~T,îr>B;dI al{å ykiû ^y[,êre yneåv.biw After YHWH had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My anger is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken to me rightly, as has my servant Job.
Responses to Suffering in Job Suffering is not (always) the result of sin. Lament is a faithful response to suffering. We must speak to God and not just about God. There comes a point in grief when we must take our eyes off ourselves and expand our vision to the world around us. God orders creation, allowing for things wild and dangerous, but beautiful in their wildness.
Humanity is not the center of creation. God cares for the natural world, and also for us. Life continues! God makes sure of that. (contra Job s curse in ch. 3) God invites us to live with freedom and delight in this wild and beautiful creation.
Psalm 103:20-22 Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Psalm 104:1-5 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken.
Psalm 104:10-15 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst. By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
Psalm 104:24-30 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it. OR: There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to play with.
These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 104:31-35 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works-- who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!
Psalm 148:7-12 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together!
Psalm 96:11-13 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad! Let the sea thunder and all that fills it! Let the fields exult and all that is in them! Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy Before YHWH, for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.