(I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse),
Job's last speech is his great effort to justify his whole life, and here he reaches the people who hated him. He never celebrated their downfall, and he never even asked out loud for their ruin — but can a record that clean quiet a troubled conscience before God?
An enemy's fall, and no gladness
The verse belongs with the one before it. Job is describing how he acted when trouble struck someone who wished him harm. Here he moves the claim from his actions to his speech — to the curse that would have asked for that man's life.
Leslie M. GrantJob speaks now of his attitude toward mankind in general. It clearly mattered to him that he should not rejoice when trouble came to someone who hated him. He would not use such a moment to profit from that person's misfortune (v.29). In fact, he had not even allowed his mouth to sin by asking for a curse on that person's soul (v.30). This is only normal for someone who has faith in the Lord Jesus (Rom. 12:20), so it was no reason for Job to boast.
The curse never asked, even in secret
The test Job applies goes deeper than public behaviour. A person can keep a straight face and still hope for an enemy's collapse.
Samuel RidoutJob's strong point is his kindness to his fellow men. Here he declares that even to his enemies he had been just. He had not been glad at their trouble, nor even secretly wished a curse to blight their life. He could call the men of his own household as witnesses.
A common snare
Job's claim sounds unremarkable until you measure yourself by it. Is this a rare temptation, or a common one?
William Kelly"If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me, or exulted when evil overtook him" — a very common snare for people. They take a little pleasure when their adversaries come to grief, or are in trouble. "I have not let my mouth sin by asking for his life with a curse."
Another summary of this defence puts it sharper still: Job rules out the wish as well as the word.
William KellyHe most solemnly disowns all joy over an enemy's disaster, though he had not asked for it in even the most indirect way.
Why the mouth is the line
Why should a single sentence matter so much? One commentator, writing about the tongue, points to who the other person is.
William KellyThe great principle is plain beyond all question. No inconsistency could be worse than to use the tongue one moment to bless God, and the next to curse men God made in His own likeness. We are the objects of His loving purposes. God has blessed us out of sheer mercy, so we should be the last to curse anyone. Instead of cursing others, we want them to obey the truth and share the blessing. We want them to join us in blessing Him who is the source and giver of it all.
A clear conscience is not enough
Nothing in Job's claim is false. The question is what a clean record can actually do for him.
William KellyHe had a perfectly good conscience, but that is not enough. There is the great principle of self-judgment. There is also the great principle of complete submission to God and of clearing His name. He is right and wise in everything, not only in what He does, but in what He allows. It is all for good.
Another writer names the danger in speaking about yourself like this.
Samuel RidoutBut we must notice the self-righteousness that moved Job to speak of himself like this. He was putting himself on show rather than giving glory to God. No doubt he was at bottom a genuinely godly man, but there is no glory in setting out one's own glory.
Where the list runs out
Job 31 lists one good act after another, and verse 30 belongs on the list. But where does the list leave Job himself?
C. StanleySo he lets memory recount every good act of his life, but it all fails to give rest to his troubled spirit. I, I, I — I did this, I did not do that. But it is all of no use.
Summary
- Heart. Job denies the inward pleasure people take when an enemy comes to grief — commentators call it a very common snare.
- Mouth. He would not let his speech do what his heart refused. Cursing a man made in God's likeness contradicts blessing God.
- Witness. He never even wished the curse in private, and he could call his own household to vouch for him.
- Conscience. A clear conscience is real, but not enough on its own. Beyond it lie self-judgment and full submission to God.
- Rest. Every good act recalled still leaves the spirit unsettled — "I did this, I did not do that" cannot give peace.