The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the EHV. Switch to the EHV to read along with the audio.
34 Elihu answered (continued his discourse) and said,
2 Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, I am [innocent and uncompromisingly] righteous, but God has taken away my right;(A)
6 Would I lie against my right? Yet, notwithstanding my right, I am counted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing and scorning like water,
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God and consent to Him.
10 Therefore hear me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that He should commit iniquity.
11 For according to the deeds of a man God will [exactly] proportion his pay, and He will cause every man to find [recompense] according to his ways.
12 Truly God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who put [God] in charge over the earth? Or who laid on Him the whole world?
14 If [God] should set His heart upon him [man] and withdraw His [life-giving] spirit and His breath [from man] to Himself,
15 All flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.(B)
16 If now you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
17 Is it possible that an enemy of right should govern? And will you condemn Him Who is just and mighty?
18 [God] Who says to a king, You are worthless and vile, or to princes and nobles, You are ungodly and evil?
19 [God] is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands.
20 In a moment they die; even at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no [human] hand.
21 For [God’s] eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.(C)
22 There is no darkness nor thick gloom where the evildoers may hide themselves.
23 [God] sets before man no appointed time, that he should appear before [Him] in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry [before a jury] and in ways past finding out and sets others in their stead.(D)
25 Therefore He takes knowledge of their works, and He overturns them in the night, so that they are crushed and destroyed.
26 God strikes them down as wicked men in the open sight of beholders,
27 Because they turned aside from Him and would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(E)
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He heard the cry of the afflicted.(F)
29 When He gives quietness (peace and security from oppression), who then can condemn? When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make Him gracious], whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
30 That the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 For has anyone said to God, I have borne my chastisement; I will not offend any more;
32 Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned]; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
33 Should [God’s] recompense [for your sins] be as you will it, when you refuse to accept it? For you must do the choosing, and not I; therefore say what is your truthful conclusion.
34 Men of understanding will tell me, indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35 That Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom and insight.
36 [Would that Job’s afflictions be continued and] he be tried to the end because of his answering like wicked men!
37 For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his unacknowledged sin; he claps his hands [in open mockery and contempt of God] among us, and he multiplies his words of accusation against God.
35 Elihu spoke further [to Job] and said,
2 Do you think this is your right, or are you saying, My righteousness is more than God’s,
3 That you ask, What advantage have you? How am I profited more than if I had sinned?
4 I will answer you and your companions with you.
5 Look to the heavens and see; and behold the skies which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, how does that affect God? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you [by that] give God? Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness touches and affects a man such as you are, and your righteousness is for yourself, one of the human race [but it cannot touch God, Who is above such influence].
9 Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out; they cry for help because of the violence of the mighty.
10 But no one says, Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs of rejoicing in the night,(G)
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
12 [The people] cry out because of the pride of evil men, but He does not answer.
13 Surely God will refuse to answer [the cry which is] vanity (vain and empty—instead of abiding trust); neither will the Almighty regard it—
14 How much less when [missing His righteous judgment on earth] you say that you do not see Him, that your cause is before Him, and you are waiting for Him!
15 But now because God has not [speedily] punished in His anger and seems to be unaware of the wrong and oppression [of which a person is guilty],
16 Job uselessly opens his mouth and multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].
36 Elihu proceeded and said,
2 Bear with me and wait a little longer, and I will show you, for I have something still to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false; He Who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold! God is mighty, and yet despises no one nor regards anything as trivial; He is mighty in power of understanding and heart.
6 He does not prolong the life of the wicked, but gives the needy and afflicted their right.
7 He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous (the upright in right standing with God); but He sets them forever with kings upon the throne, and they are exalted.
8 And if they are bound in fetters [of adversity] and held by cords of affliction,(H)
9 Then He shows to them [the true character of] their deeds and their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and self-sufficiency].
10 He also opens their ears to instruction and discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments], and they shall die in ignorance of true knowledge.
13 But the godless and profane in heart heap up anger [at the divine discipline]; they do not cry to Him when He binds them [with cords of affliction].(I)
14 They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean (those who are sodomites).
15 He delivers the afflicted in their affliction and opens their ears [to His voice] in adversity.
16 Indeed, God would have allured you out of the mouth of distress into a broad place where there is no situation of perplexity or privation; and that which would be set on your table would be full of fatness.
17 But if you [Job] are filled with the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice will keep hold on you.
18 For let not wrath entice you into scorning chastisements; and let not the greatness of the ransom [the suffering, if rightly endured] turn you aside.
19 Will your cry be sufficient to keep you from distress, or will all the force of your strength do it?
20 Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their places;
21 Take heed, turn not to iniquity, for this [the iniquity of complaining against God] you have chosen rather than [submission in] affliction.
22 Behold, God exalts and does loftily in His power; who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?
23 Who has appointed God His way? Or who can say, You have done unrighteousness?
24 Remember that [by submission] you magnify God’s work, of which men have sung.
25 All men have looked upon God’s work; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know Him not! The number of His years is unsearchable.(J)
27 For He draws up the drops of water, which distil as rain from His vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down and drop abundantly upon [the multitudes of] mankind.
29 Not only that, but can anyone understand the spreadings of the clouds or the thunderings of His pavilion?(K)
30 Behold, He spreads His lightning against the dark clouds and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by [His clouds] God executes judgment upon the peoples; He gives food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.
33 His thunderings speak [awesomely] concerning Him; the cattle are told of His coming storm.
4 Therefore, since we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint with weariness and exhaustion.
2 We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man’s conscience.
3 But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing and obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying and veiled [only] to those who are lost.
4 For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.
5 For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your servants (slaves) for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).(A)
7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.
8 We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;
9 We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;
10 Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the [[a]resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies.
11 For we who live are constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the [[b]resurrection] life of Jesus also may be evidenced through our flesh which is liable to death.
12 Thus death is actively at work in us, but [it is in order that [c]our] life [may be actively at work] in you.
Psalm 44
To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of the sons of Korah. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem.
1 We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us [what] work You did in their days, in the days of old.
2 You drove out the nations with Your hand and it was Your power that gave [Israel] a home by rooting out the [heathen] peoples, but [Israel] You spread out.
3 For they got not the land [of Canaan] in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your countenance [did it], because You were favorable toward and did delight in them.
4 You are my King, O God; command victories and deliverance for Jacob (Israel).
5 Through You shall we push down our enemies; through Your name shall we tread them under who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in and lean on my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
7 But You have saved us from our foes and have put them to shame who hate us.
8 In God we have made our boast all the day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
10 Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out; yes, strife and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity and the pure in heart and who is gracious in speech—because of the grace of his lips will he have the king for his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and him who has it, but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation