What really struck me was the contrast offered by these two passages when read side-by-side. On the one hand, in Job 40, Job is in the midst of being lectured to by God. He had been expressing a desire to put God on trial throughout the book; all of the sudden, God speaks from the whirlwind and sets the record straight - Job is the one on trial (Job 38:1-3).
God recites a list of His mighty actions and wisdom. When Job finally is given the opportunity to get a word in edgewise, all he can say is:
Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spken once and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further. (Job 40:3-5)Job says (in the original Hebrew) "Oops." In God's presence, he feels small, and decides it's best if he does not complain against God anymore. He puts his hand over his mouth.
But then, in Psalm 43, the Psalmist has this to say to the same God:
Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse Yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide Your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? (Psalm 43:23-26)Wow. The psalmist accuses God of sleeping, being too lazy to come to their help. He accuses God of hiding, and of forgetting. Now to say that to another human would likely be considered rude - how much more to say it to the Most High?
This is the paradox that the Calvinist (read "Christian) carries with him always: On the one hand, God is too awesome for words, and His ways are past finding out (Rom. 11:33). Sometimes it is best to shut-up and acknowledge that God gets His way and that any problem we have with His judgments is ultimately petty and pathetic. On the other hand, Scriptures cites examples of saints who prayed with such insistent language: Wake up, God, and come to my aid!
In our prayers we should be deeply humble, yet insistent on what we desire from God - a paradox.
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