How
great is God — beyond our understanding!
The
number of his years is past finding out.
"He
draws up the drops of water,
which
distill as rain to the streams
the
clouds pour down their moisture
and
abundant showers fall on mankind.
Who
can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how
he thunders from his pavilion?
See
how he scatters his lightning about him,
bathing
the depths of the sea.
This
is the way he governs the nations
and
provides food in abundance.
He
fills his hands with lightning
and
commands it to strike its mark.
His
thunder announces the coming storm;
even
the cattle make known its approach.
"At this my heart pounds
and
leaps from its place.
Listen!
Listen to the roar of his voice,
to
the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
He
unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and
sends it to the ends of the earth.
After
that comes the sound of his roar;
he
thunders with his majestic voice.
When
his voice resounds,
he
holds nothing back.
God's
voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he
does great things beyond our understanding.
He
says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,'
and
to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'
So
that all men he has made may know his work,
he
stops every man from his labor.
The
animals take cover;
they
remain in their dens.
The
tempest comes out from its chamber,
the
cold from the driving winds.
The
breath of God produces ice,
and
the broad waters become frozen.
He
loads the clouds with moisture;
he
scatters his lightning through them.
At
his direction they swirl around
over
the face of the whole earth
to
do whatever he commands them.
He
brings the clouds to punish men,
or
to water his earth and show his love.
"Listen
to this, Job;
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 is perfect in knowledge?
You
who swelter in your clothes
when
the land lies hushed under the south wind,
can
you join him in spreading out the skies,
hard
as a mirror of cast bronze?
"Tell
us what we should say to him;
we
cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would
any man ask to be swallowed up?
Now no one can look at the sun,
bright
as it is in the skies
after
the wind has swept them clean.
Out
of the north he comes in golden splendor;
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.
Therefore, men revere him,
for
does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?
- Job 36:26 - Job 37:24
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