Job 29

When God Was Still by My Side

1-6 Job now resumed his response: "Oh, how I long for the good old days, when God took such very good care of me. He always held a lamp before me and I walked through the dark by its light. Oh, how I miss those golden years when God's friendship graced my home, When the Mighty One was still by my side and my children were all around me, When everything was going my way, and nothing seemed too difficult.
7-20 "When I walked downtown and sat with my friends in the public square, Young and old greeted me with respect; I was honored by everyone in town. When I spoke, everyone listened; they hung on my every word. People who knew me spoke well of me; my reputation went ahead of me. I was known for helping people in trouble and standing up for those who were down on their luck. The dying blessed me, and the bereaved were cheered by my visits. All my dealings with people were good. I was known for being fair to everyone I met. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, Father to the needy, and champion of abused aliens. I grabbed street thieves by the scruff of the neck and made them give back what they'd stolen. I thought, 'I'll die peacefully in my own bed, grateful for a long and full life, A life deep-rooted and well-watered, a life limber and dew-fresh, My soul suffused with glory and my body robust until the day I die.'
21-25 "Men and women listened when I spoke, hung expectantly on my every word. After I spoke, they'd be quiet, taking it all in. They welcomed my counsel like spring rain, drinking it all in. When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing! I was their leader, establishing the mood and setting the pace by which they lived. Where I led, they followed."

Job 29

1 And Job again took up his parable, and said,

2 Oh that I were as in the months of old, As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When his lamp shined upon my head, And by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the ripeness of my days, When the friendship of God was upon my tent;

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, And my children were about me;

6 When my steps were washed with butter, And the rock poured me out streams of oil!

7 When I went forth to the gate unto the city, When I prepared my seat in the street,

8 The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood;

9 The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;

10 The voice of the nobles was hushed, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

11 For when the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness unto me:

12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him.

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem.

15 I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out.

17 And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.

18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, And I shall multiply my days as the sand:

19 My root is spread out to the waters, And the dew lieth all night upon my branch;

20 My glory is fresh in me, And my bow is renewed in my hand.

21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence for my counsel.

22 After my words they spake not again; And my speech distilled upon them.

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

24 I smiled on them, when they had no confidence; And the light of my countenance they cast not down.

25 I chose out their way, and sat as chief, And dwelt as a king in the army, As one that comforteth the mourners.