John Trapp on Job 23:17

Verſe 17. Becauſe I was not cut off before the darkneſſe] i.e. The afflictions that now are upon me. It is a mercy to ſome to dye betime, as Joſiah, and thoſe righteous ones, Iſai. 57.1. who were taken away from the evil to come. when Gods glory was to paſſe by, he put Moſes into the hole of the rock: ſo he ſometimes doth his ſervants, till the glory of his Juſtice hath paſſed upon others.

Neither hath he covered the darkneſs from my face] i.e. He hath neither prevented my troubles by death, as I wiſhed he would have done, chap. 3. Nor yet will he put an end to them by the ſame means: for, Mors erumnaruns requies (Chancers Motto) Death is a reſt from trouble. To the toſſed ſoul it is as Mount Ararat was to Noah, where the Ark reſted; as Michal was to David, a means to ſhift him out of the way, when Saul ſent to ſlay him: or as the fall of the houſe was to Samſon, an end of all his ſorrowes and ſervitude.