For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
Ver. 25. For he stretcheth out his hand against God] Worthy therefore to have a dead palsy transfused into it, or dried up, as Jeroboam's was, when but stretched out against a prophet; and as Valens the emperor's hand was made unable to hold a pen, when he would have subscribed a warrant for the banishing of Basil. Such a giant-like generation there are to this day among men, as face the heavens, cast down the gauntlet against God, Erecto collo valido impetu, arrogantia incurva cervice, saith Brentius upon the text, with stiff necks, full force, and insufferable insolence, as it were on purpose to cross the Almighty, and to wrestle a fall with him; they sin with a high hand, Lev 26:21 Numbers 15:30, and do as wickedly as they can, Jeremiah 3:5, yea, with both hands earnestly, Micah 7:3; persecuting his people who are unto him as the apple of his eye, and resisting the Holy Ghost always, Acts 7:51. Surely he would even destroy God if he could, for he hateth him, Romans 1:30, with a hellish hatred, as the word θεοστυγεις there signifieth, such as striketh at God's very essence, Psalms 18:40; confer 1 John 3:15 .
And strengtheneth himself against the Almighty] Sed vanae sine viribus irae. To his sinews of iron he hath added brows of brass, Isaiah 48:4. To his natural crossness habitual hardness and hardiness; so that now, like a stout warrior, he bends all his strength against the Almighty, but with no better success than to be broken in pieces, Isaiah 8:9, with his iron mace, Psalms 2:9, Sennacherib for instance. See Trapp on " Job 9:4 "