Albert Barnes Commentary Job 21:15

"What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?" — Job 21:15 (ASV)

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? — compare for similar expressions, Exodus 5:2; Proverbs 30:9.

The meaning here is, “What claim has the Almighty, or who is he, that we should be bound to obey and worship him? What authority has he over us? Why should we yield our will to his, and why submit to his claims?”

This is the language of the human heart everywhere. Man seeks to deny the authority of God over him and to feel that God has no claim to his service.

He desires to be independent. He would cast off the claims of God.

Forgetful that God made and sustains him, regardless of God's infinite perfections and of the fact that man is dependent on God every moment, man asks with contempt what right God has to set up a dominion over him.

Such is man—a creature of a day—dependent for every breath he draws on that Great Being whose government and authority he so contemptuously disowns and rejects!

And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? — What advantage would it be to us to worship him? Men still ask this question, or, if not openly asked, they feel the force of it in their hearts. Learn from this:

1. That wicked people are influenced by a regard to self in the inquiry about God, and in meeting his claims. They do not ask what is right, but what advantage will accrue to them.

2. If they see no immediate benefit arising from worshipping God, they will not do it. Multitudes abstain from prayer, and from the house of God, because they cannot see how their self-interest would be promoted by it.

3. Men ought to serve God, without respect to the immediate, selfish, and personal good that may follow to themselves. It is a good in itself to worship God. It is what is right; what the conscience says ought to be done.

4. Yet, it is not difficult to answer the question which the sinner puts. There is an advantage in calling upon God. There is:

   1. the possibility of obtaining the pardon of sin by prayer—an immense and unspeakable profit to a dying and guilty man;

   2. a peace which this world cannot furnish—worth more than all that it costs to obtain it;

   3. support in trial in answer to prayer—in a world of suffering of more value than silver and gold;

   4. the salvation of friends in answer to prayer—an object that should be one of intense interest to those who love their friends;

   5. eternal life—the profit of which who can estimate? What are the few sacrifices which religion requires, compared with the infinite and immortal blessings which may be obtained by asking for them? Profit! What can be done by man that will be turned to so good an account as to pray? Where can man make so good an investment of time and strength as by calling on God to save his soul, and to bless his friends and the world?