He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
Ver. 21. He poureth contempt upon princes] Or nobles, or gentlemen, which are, or should be, free, bounteous, munificent benefactors (ευεργεται): if they be not Nedibim, but Nebalim, liberal, but churlish (see these opposed, Isa 32:5), it is just in God to pour contempt, to lay abundance of shame and scorn upon them, as sordid penny fathers, ignoble Euelios, poor-spirited men, the base brood, or rather blot, of their better forefathers. Of our Edward II it is chronicled, that never was prince received with greater love and opinion of all than he, or never any that sooner lost it: for his very first action in recalling his minion, Pierce Gaveston, discovered a headstrong wilfulness, that was uncounsellable; hence he was slighted by his subjects, pursued by his wife and son, and at length cruelly murdered (Daniel). Mercer observeth that David hath the selfsame words, Psalms 107:40, that are found here and Job 12:24. Neither need we wonder, since they both spoke by the same spirit.
And weakeneth the strength of the mighty] Heb. He slackeneth the girdle of the impetuous, that, like strong streams in narrow straits, bear down all before them. So do soldiers in war. See 2Sa 22:36 Job 6:11. But God can loose their girdles (or belts, which bind their garments, and buckle their armour close to them), he can dispirit them, and make them feeble and faint hearted, as he did Samson, and those Assyrians, Psalms 76:5,6. By this whole discourse of Job it appeareth that he had very diligently observed God's providence, and way of administration in the several ranks of men, and alterations of commonwealths; whereby he had learned secretly to admire and adore God's judgments, which thing we ought also similarily to do.