Job 38:7

When the morning stars sang together,.... Either all the stars in a literal sense; for though, strictly speaking, there is but one morning star, yet all may be called so, because early created in the

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Morning stars - especially beautiful. The creation-morn is appropriately associated with these, it being the commencement of this world's day.

The morning stars; either, 1. The stars properly so called, who are said to sing and praise God, objectively, because they give men ample occasion to do it in regard of their glorious light and stupendous motions, &c. Compare 148:1, &c. But, 1. These stars are not here the objects or matter, but the authors or instruments, of God’ s praises for the founding of the earth. 2. The stars were not created when the earth was founded, but upon the fourth day. 3. There is no satisfactory reason given why all the stars should be called morning stars, especially when there is but one star known by that name. Or rather, 2. The sons of God, as it here follows, the latter clause of the verse being explicatory of the former, as is most frequent in this and some other books of Scripture, to wit, the angels, who may well be called stars, as even men of eminent note, and particularly ministers of God’ s word, are called, 12:3 ,20; and morning stars, because of their excellent lustre and glory, for which they are called angels of light, , and Christ for the same reason is called the Morning Star, . The sons of God; the blessed angels; for man not being yet made, God had then no other sons; and these are called the sons of God, partly because they had their whole being from him, and partly because they were made partakers of his Divine and glorious image. And all these are said to join in this work of praising God, probably because none of the angels were as yet fallen from their first estate, though they did fall within a very little time after. Shouted for joy; rejoiced in and blessed God for his works; whereby he intimates that they neither did advise or any way assist him in his works, nor dislike or censure any of his works, as Job had presumed to do with the works of his providence, which are not inferior to those of creation.

Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?Ver. 7. When the morning stars sang together] There is but one morning star properly so called, viz. Phosphorus, Lucifer, or Venus, the sun’ s forerunner. But for their brightness, they are all called here stars of the morning, and said to sing together, as birds use to do at break of day; so did these in the morning of the creation, when first those heavenly torches began to shine, and joyfully to dance, as it were, in number and measure. This they do still in their kind, Psalms 19:1, beckoning also, as it were, to us to do the like, Psalms 145:3. And all the sons of God shouted for joy?] i.e. All the angels, as Job 1:6, meant also by those morning stars, as Piscator and others will have it. These being created, together with the highest heavens, on the first day (as it is probable, like as Christ’ s soul was created in and with his body in the Virgin’ s womb the same moment), were present at a great part of the creation, if not at all; and were rapt with admiration at the great wisdom and power of their Creator, singing, "Holy, holy, holy," &c. Shall the stars sing, the angels shout, and shall we be so dull? This was all they did at the creation. Note this against those who held that God made the superior creatures himself, but the inferior by his angels. A great hand they have, as God’ s instruments, in governing the world, Ezekiel 1:5-7, &c., whence also they are called watchmen and keepers, Daniel 4:13, but not any had they in making the world; for in that work God was alone, and by himself, Isaiah 44:24.

(7) The morning stars.—The context seems to suggest that by the stars are meant the angels entrusted with their guardianship, from whence Milton has borrowed his conceptions. The magnificent sublimity of the expression and the thought needs no comment.

Verse 7. When the morning stars sang together] This must refer to some intelligent beings who existed before the creation of the visible heavens and earth: and it is supposed that this and the following clause refer to the same beings; that by the sons of God, and the morning stars, the angelic host is meant; as they are supposed to be first, though perhaps not chief, in the order of creation. For the latter clause the Chaldee has, "All the troops of angels." Perhaps their creation may be included in the term heavens, Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." These witnessed the progress of the creation; and, when God had finished his work, celebrated his wisdom and power in the highest strains.

4–38. A survey of the inanimate creation, the wonders of earth and sky—the earth, Job 38:4-18; the heavens, Job 38:18-38

When the morning-stars - There can be little doubt that angelic beings are intended here, though some have thought that the stars literally are referred to, and that they seemed to unite in a chorus

7. Morning stars — According to some, literal stars, whose song is one of metaphor. They are called morning stars because of their association with the dawn of the world.