Matthew Henry Commentary Job 8:20-22

"Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers. He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting. They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; And the tent of the wicked shall be no more." — Job 8:20-22 (ASV)

Bildad here assures Job that as he was, so he would fare; therefore, they concluded that as he fared, so he was. God will not cast away an upright man; he may be cast down for a time, but he will not be cast away forever. Sin brings ruin on persons and families.

Yet to argue that Job was an ungodly, wicked man was unjust and uncharitable. The mistake in these reasonings arose from Job's friends not distinguishing between the present state of trial and discipline and the future state of final judgment.

May we choose the portion, possess the confidence, bear the cross, and die the death of the righteous; and in the meantime, be careful neither to wound others by rash judgments nor to distress ourselves needlessly about the opinions of our fellow creatures.