Chapter 35
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1Elihu spake moreover, and said,
2Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?
3For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
4I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
5Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
9By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
15But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
16Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
“But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night.”
Overview
Elihu addresses Job's argument that righteousness gains no advantage, contending that human sin or righteousness does not affect God but impacts fellow humans. He argues that when the oppressed cry out but God does not answer, it is because they cry from pride rather than genuinely seeking God who gives songs in the night.
Key Themes
God's Self-Sufficiency
Human righteousness does not benefit God, and human sin does not diminish Him, establishing that God relates to humanity out of grace, not need.
Songs in the Night
God gives songs in the night to those who genuinely seek Him, offering supernatural comfort even in the darkest seasons of life.
The Quality of Our Crying Out
Not all cries to God are equal — some arise from genuine humility and trust while others emerge from pride and self-pity.
Study Questions
What does Elihu mean that human righteousness does not profit God (vv. 6-8)?
How does the image of God giving 'songs in the night' (v. 10) encourage those in dark seasons?
What is the difference between crying out to God from pride and crying out from genuine need?
How does God's self-sufficiency affect our understanding of why He values our worship?
What does this chapter teach about the attitude we bring to prayer?
Connection to Christ
God who 'giveth songs in the night' (v. 10) is the God who sent His Son into the darkness of human sin and death. Christ experienced the deepest night on the cross and emerged victorious, enabling His people to sing even in their darkest hours through the comfort of His Spirit.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Job 35. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?