Praise and Worship in Job

Praise in Job

• Faithful followers, who serve as good role models for us (1:1)
• His attention to those who know and obey him (2:3)
• Our advocate and redeemer (9:32-33; 16:19; 19:25)
• His wisdom, which he grants to those who trust him (28:23-28)
• His power, which is displayed in creation (38:4)
• His provision for all his creatures (38:39-41)
• Glimpses of himself, which humble us (42:5)
• His attentiveness to the prayers of his faithful servants (42:8-9)
• The favor he shows to those who love him (42:12-17).

Worship in Job

What does Job’s story have to do with worship? Through Job we see that worship is always the proper response to God, even when we don’t understand why things are as they are. Job started out as a faithful worshiper of the Lord, living righteously and offering sacrifices for his family. After his suffering begins, Job initially accepts it gracefully: “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (2:10). But once his friends begin their arguments, the patient Job becomes quite impatient. In the end, however, we find a more mature Job worshiping God, silenced before the awesome majesty of his Creator. Through Job’s experience, we see that genuine worship does not find its origin in habit, tradition, or in having all the right answers but in our proper vision of God.

• God is ultimately in charge of the universe, and there is nothing that happens that is beyond his control (1:12; 2:6; 9:1-10; 12:7-25; 26:5-14; 36:22–42:10).
• True worship flows out of a proper understanding of God (1:20-21; 2:10; 23:11-14).
• Though disaster may threaten us today, we can hold on to God’s promise of eternal life (14:14; 19:25-27; 33:28-30).