Job’s complaint against his friends (vv. 1-5) and toward God shows that he was very sensitive. In his sensitivity he thought that others were intending to damage him, and he misunderstood God, thinking that God had sent a troop against him (v. 12). In contrast to Job, Paul could rejoice in all that happened to him (Phil. 1:18; 4:4; Col. 1:24). See note Job 3:11¹.

Job’s glory was his perfection and uprightness, and his crown was his integrity. Job was right in saying that God had stripped his glory from him and had taken away his crown from his head.

Job’s hope had been to build up the “tree” of his integrity, but God would not allow such a tree to grow within Job. Rather, God had plucked up this tree, this hope.

Although God was stripping Job, He surely was not angry with him; neither did God consider Job His adversary but His intimate friend. See note Job 10:13^1a.

Or, I am loathsome.

Job’s declaring that his Redeemer lives was according to his objective view, which was incomplete concerning God’s economy. In contrast, the New Testament speaks according to the subjective view, declaring that Christ, our Redeemer, lives in us and is making His home in our hearts (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 3:17).