John Trapp on Job 40:4

Verſe 4. Behold I am vile] Light and little worth: and therefore deſerve to beſlighted and laid by, as a broken veſſel. The humble man vilifies, yea, nullifies himſelf before God, as Abraham, Gen. 18.27. as Agur, Prov. 30.2. as Paul, Epheſ. 3.8. as that Martyr who cryed out, Gehenna ſum Domine, Lord, thou art heaven, but I am hell, &c. Tantillitas noſtra, ſaith Ignatius of himſelf and his colleagues. Behold, 1 am an abject ſaith Job here, contemptible, and inconſiderable. This was well, but not all: an excellent confeſſion, but not full enough: his meanneſſe he acknowledgeth, and that he was no fit match for God: but not his ſinfulneſſe, with deſire of pardon, and deprecation of puniſhment: God therefore gives him not over ſo, but ſets upon him a ſecond time, verſ. 6. and brings him to it, chap. 42.1. There muſt be ſome proportion betwixt a mans ſin, and his repentance, Ezra. 9. and this, God will bring all his Jobs to, ere he leave them.

What ſhall I anſwer thee?] I am ſilenced, and ſet down; I ſee there is no reaſoning againſt thee. I acknowledge thy greatneſſe ſo plainly and plentifully demonſtrated in the fore-going diſcourſe: and am well pleaſed that thou ſhouldeſt be juſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and over-come when thou judgeſt, Pſal. 51.4. Rom. 3.4.

I will lay my hand upon my mouth] I that have ſpoken more freely and boldly then I ought, Et ore patulo multa ſine judicio effutivi; and have opened my mouth more wide then was meet: will henceforth be better adviſed, and keep my mouth with a bridle, or muzzle, as Pſal. 39.1. See the Note on chap. 21. verſ. 5.