An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

To despise is an act of Pride; Pride is a bad Mother of many bad Children, these three especially. First, boasting of our selves. Secondly, contending with others. Thirdly, despising of others. The word here used signifies to despise with abhorrence or loathing, as the Stomach doth meat which is offensive to it;¹ ill savoured meat is loathsome, and any thing which the mind nauseates, is an abhorrence to us. The Lord despiseth not, he doth not nauseate any. The word any is not expressed in the Original Text, that saith only, The Lord is Mighty, and despiseth not; we put that supplement in our Translation, any; He is Mighty, and despiseth not any. Others render more strictly, thus, Behold, God is Mighty, and despiseth not his own people. The Chaldee Paraphrase speaks exegetically, The Lord is mighty, and despiseth not the righteous man. The Greek Version hath a fourth supplement, to the same purpose, God is mighty, and despiseth not the innocent person, ²the man free from evil or wickedness; a man of integrity, a man of simplicity, the Lord will not despise: such are often afflicted, but never despised, especially not as such. Lastly, thus, God is mighty, and despiseth not the mean, the afflicted, the poor, or those of low estate, (Psal. 22.24.) He hath not despised, nor abhorred, the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he cried unto him, he heard. And this seems most proper to the scope and meaning of Elihu here; God is mighty, and despiseth not those who have no might. Thus the words reflect chiefly upon Job, who at least seemed to charge God, that he did not consider him in his affliction, or in his low estate when he complained and cried to him. We have two Texts in this Book of Job, which ⟨p. 170⟩might very well move Elihu to speak thus unto him; though God be mighty, yet he despiseth not the afflicted, or the poor. Job said (Chap. 10.3.) Is it good to thee that thou shouldst oppress, that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the Counsel of the wicked? As if he had said to God, Thou seemest to despise me, the work of thy hand, now that I am poor, low, and reduced, as it were, to dust. Again (Chap. 19.7.) we have near the same language, Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard, I cry a loud, but there is no Judgment. As much as to say, I am despised and neglected, I am not regarded when I cry.