Catholic Commentary on Job 37

"Stop and consider God's wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?" (Job 37:14-15)

Elihu: God's Majestic Power

Elihu describes God's power in the natural world: his voice thunders in marvellous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow: fall on the earth; to the rain shower: be a mighty downpour. So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labour. The animals take cover; they remain in their dens. From its chamber comes the whirlwind; cold comes from the driving winds. The breath of God produces ice and the broad waters become frozen. Stop and consider God's wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge? He comes in golden splendour; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness he does not oppress.

The Catechism identifies the contemplation of the natural world as one of the paths to knowledge of God: the heavens declare his glory and the creature speaks of the Creator (CCC 32).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, stop and consider God's wonders. Elihu's counsel before the divine speech is the counsel of contemplation: before you receive the answer, pause and look at the creation. The God who controls the clouds and freezes the waters is the God who is about to speak to Job. Let creation prepare your ears.

Prayer

Lord God, we stop and consider your wonders. The clouds hang poised, the lightning flashes, and we fall silent before your perfect knowledge. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

37
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
1 “At this my heart also pounds
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen closely to the thunder of His voice
and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3 He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4 Then there comes a roaring sound;
He thunders with His majestic voice.
He does not restrain the lightning
when His voice resounds.
5 God thunders wondrously with His voice;
He does great things we cannot comprehend.
6 For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’
7 He seals up the hand of every man,
so that all men may know His work.
8 The wild animals enter their lairs;
they settle down in their dens.
9 The tempest comes from its chamber,
and the cold from the driving north winds.
10 By the breath of God the ice is formed
and the watery expanses are frozen.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
He scatters His lightning through them.
12 They swirl about,
whirling at His direction,
accomplishing all that He commands
over the face of all the earth.
13 Whether for punishment or for His land,
He accomplishes this in His loving devotion.
 
14 Listen to this, O Job;
stand still and consider the wonders of God.
15 Do you know how God dispatches the clouds
or makes the lightning flash?
16 Do you understand how the clouds float,
those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 You whose clothes get hot
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18 can you, like Him, spread out the skies
to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze?
 
19 Teach us what we should say to Him;
we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness.
20 Should He be told that I want to speak?
Would a man ask to be swallowed up * 37:20 Or speak without being swallowed up?
21 Now no one can gaze at the sun
when it is bright in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north He comes in golden splendor;
awesome majesty surrounds Him.
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach;
He is exalted in power!
In His justice and great righteousness
He does not oppress.
24 Therefore, men fear Him,
for He is not partial to the wise in heart.”

*37:20 37:20 Or speak without being swallowed up

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