Is it good unto you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile upon the counsel of the wicked?
Read Chapter 10
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Calumniate permissively, by treating me in such a manner, that others lay false crimes to my charge. Hebrew, "oppress and despise the work. "
Wicked, who are ready enough (Haydock) to assert that virtue is useless, (Calmet) and that God mindeth not human affairs. My affliction will confirm them in their false notion, (Haydock) and my friends will triumph as if their arguments were well founded. The devil will also exult. (Calmet)
He knew that God could not be guilty of calumny, and inquireth why he is afflicted. (Worthington)
70. This same is so said by way of interrogation, that it is denied. As though it were in plain terms; ‘Thou That art supremely good, I know dost not hold it good to oppress the poor man by calumny. And therefore I know that that is not unjust that I am suffering, and I am the more grieved, that cannot tell the causes of its justness.’ But observe that he does not say, That Thou shouldest oppress the innocent, but, the poor man. For he who doth not represent his innocency, but his poorness to the severity of the Judge, does not now put on a bold front on the ground of his own life, but shews of how little strength he sees himself to be. Where also he fitly subjoins, The work of Thine hands. As if he said plainly, ‘Thou canst not ever unfeelingly oppress him, whom Thou rememberest Thyself to have made of Thy mere grace.’
71. Now the words are excellently put in, And help the counsel of the wicked. For whom does he here call wicked, save the malignant spirits, who as they canno...
Therefore it often happens that the mind of the righteous man, in order to be made more secure, is the more penetrated with fear, and when he is beset with scourges, he is troubled with misgivings about the judgment of the Most High. He fears lest all that he suffers should be the forerunner of an ensuing doom. In his heart, he questions the Judge with the result that under his visitation he is full of doubts about the merit of his life. However, when the goodness of his life is brought before the eyes of the mind, it is as if the Judge gave comfort in the answer whereby he never strikes to destroy but strikes to sustain the innocency of life and conduct. Therefore, it is justly said here, “Show me why you judge me so.” As if it were expressed in plain words, “Whereas you exercise judgment upon me by scourging me, show me that by these scourges you are making me secure against judgment.” … This same thing is also said by way of a negating interrogation, as though it were said in plain ...
