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And that because of thine indignation and wrath. The conscience of sin makes men regard affliction as Divine judgment. For man, God's favour is life, God's frown is death - death of peace, pleasure, hope. Man can lose everything and be rich if he can keep the sense of gracious relations with God. Man can keep everything, and be poor and miserable, if he has lost the sense of God's favour. While this is true of every man, it is in an especial manner true of the man who has once known the joy of God's smile and favour. It is such a man who feels the bitterness of human affliction when it is seen as Divine judgment. The Book of Job represents the struggle of good men to get right views of human affliction. And what comes out so clearly from its discussions is, that no one explanation will suffice. It may be Divine judgment; but Job's friends are wrong when they say that it must be. It may be Divine chastisement for correction; but it would be a mistake to say that it is always chastisement. It may be pure testing, simple culture, God's way of nourishing the good, and not involving the removal of any bad. When a sufferer can see suffering to be Divine culture, or even Divine chastisement, his trials lose their bitterness. But it is always hard to be compelled to call suffering Divine judgment.

I. THIS MAY BE THE VIEW OF OUR TROUBLES THAT OTHERS TAKE. it is the view Job's friends took at once, and they would hear nothing else. Job had at least secretly sinned, and his suffering was his judgment. Of Messiah it is said, "We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." It is what we first think of others, and what others first think of us. But it had better never be spoken, for it may not be true, and it will certainly add to the sufferer's burden. What a mistake to think of the suffering Jesus as a malefactor!

II. THIS MAY BE THE VIEW OF OUR TROUBLES THAT WE OURSELVES TAKE RIGHTLY. It may be the explanation. And some heart searching is proper at the beginning of all times of affliction. Perhaps we have been going astray, or becoming wilful or negligent. There are "secret faults," "presumptuous sins," "leavings of first love," which must be dealt thus with. God's people have to come into judgments which will mark the character of their sins, and into chastisements which will deliver them from their power.

III. THIS MAY BE THE VIEW OF OUR TROUBLES THAT WE OURSELVES TAKE WRONGLY. Many good Christians are too ready to think evil of themselves, and write bitter things against themselves. Absolute sincerity and truthfulness should be sought, even in dealing with our own faults and failings. We may even confess too much. - R.T.

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KJV: Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

WEB: Because of your indignation and your wrath, for you have taken me up, and thrown me away.