 Psalms to  Job

Job praises even after calamity.

Breath

Psalms leads into Job in a manor that shows a remarkable trait of Job. The last verse of Psalms says everything that has breath should praise Yahvah. A chapter into Job's story, breath is about the only thing Job has left. So what does Job do after Yahvah has taken everything else from him?

Job uses his breath to worship and bless Yahvah. Realize that earlier in the day Job lost all his wealth (camels, sheep, cattle), his servants were killed by raiders, and a storm knocked down a house killing all his sons and daughters. Job has breath, though, and he praises Yahvah. Job embodies the "let everything that has breath" exhortation.

Trials

Shifting gears, a comparison exists between David, the most prominent contributor to Psalms, and Job. Like Job, David went through some difficult times in life. Like Job, David was betrayed by friends. Like Job, David lost sons. Like Job, David experienced troubles that were undeserved.

To be sure, there is one difference. Job is never said to have done anything to deserve his ordeal. Some of the troubles David experienced were the direct result of sleeping with another man's wife and then having that man killed to cover secret sins.

Perhaps the most obvious similarity between David and Job, though, is the way they thought about God. They knew God was in control and they sought his help when life was hard.