"Words for the wind"

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Mr. Bultitude

Puritan Board Freshman
From a John Piper sermon on Psalm 42:

[The psalmist] responds to his circumstances at one point by asking God Why? Verse 9: “I say to God, my rock: ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?’” The word forgotten is an overstatement. And he knows it is. He just said in verse 8, “By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me.”

What he means is that, it looks like God has forgotten him. It feels as if God has forgotten him. If God hasn’t forgotten him, why aren’t these enemies driven back and consumed? It would be good if all of us were so composed and careful in the expression of our discouragements that we never said anything amiss. But that is not the way we are. In the midst of the tumult of emotions, we are not careful with our words.

Those of us who were around in 1985 when I preached through Job may remember how this truth came home to us as a church. For years afterward, we would refer to the words of Job 6:26 and talk about “words for the wind.” Job says to his critical friends, “Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?” In other words, don’t jump on the words of a despairing man. Let it go. There will be ample time to discern the deeper convictions of the heart. Let the wind blow them away. They are words for the wind.

Thoughts?
 
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I think he's going a bit beyond that and granting the despairing or suffering man a special class of immunity or leniency.
 
Okay, Do you see anything wrong with that? What is right about it?

Pro 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

Mat 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
 
I don't necessarily see anything wrong with it, but that's the whole reason I posted here: to see a more robust defense or takedown of the notion.

I will meditate on those verses' application to the subject, thanks.
 
For one thing, Job was pretty righteous. He was being assaulted by Satan himself. Also remember Job's friends were accusing him based upon assumption. There are other things that should probably be considered also. When a person is has openly done something heinous and it is confirmed the need to seek repentance is necessary. Sometimes that seems harsh. Church discipline or discipline from God never seems comfortable. But it is loving.


Pro 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Pro 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
Pro 13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Pro 13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
Pro 13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
 
The following passage has been gold for me the past few years. My Elder Russell Pulliam shared how this passage has helped him in life and I memorized it. Well, let's at least say I attempted to memorize it. My memory doesn't retain things like it use too. LOL

Pro 16:20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
Pro 16:21 The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
Pro 16:22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.
Pro 16:23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
Pro 16:24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
 
When I read this Psalm I hear the voice of Christ in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7). We know Christ isn't careless with his words! I think the Psalms teach us to pour out our hearts to God, using the right words. At least some of Job's words of course were a different case. God reproved him for his words, saying "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38)
 
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I think it is valid for us to remember with one another. It is such a comfort that the inspired revelation of God contains so much honest expression of our struggles: God allows that honesty with Himself -- He even gives us inspired words for it, here in Job and in other places.

But Job is not interested most of all in making a case to his friends. They keep accusing him, and he keeps fighting through their noise to address God -- as in this passage, 'Why have you forgotten me?' He expresses very clearly in chapter 9 that he longs for someone to make his case with God (9:32-25): one of the most poignant aspects of his suffering is his awareness that he cannot plead for himself, and has no one to plead his experience for him. The words he uses to express his struggle are echoed in other parts of Scripture, most notably perhaps, Psalm 22: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' Where have we seen this case made to God? Jesus did that with perfect faith, with perfect words. Even our struggling words are taken up, spoken perfectly in pain, heard, and answered. When Job is wrestling in a finite way with what feels to him like the 'dark side 'of God, his need is for Jesus.

One of the lessons in Job is that 'He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty' -- no matter how zealous one seems for God and how many true things about God one says in isolation. Jesus does not withhold kindness from his friends.

(edit: I just saw that Jeri said something similar above!)
 
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