Job 31:21

“If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, etc.] Either in a menacing way, threatening what he would do to them; which, from a man of wealth and authority, a civil magistrate, a judge, is very terrible to the poor and fatherless; or in order to strike him, which would be to smite with the fist of wickedness; or give a signal to others, by lifting up the hand to smite, as Ananias gave orders to smite the Apostle Paul; or thereby to give his vote against the fatherless wrongly, suffrages being sometimes made by lifting up the hands; or hereby Job signifies, that he was so far from doing the fatherless any real injury, that he had not so much as lifted up his hand, and even a finger…”

“when--that is, "because." I saw--that I might calculate on the "help" of a powerful party in the court of justice--("gate"), if I should be summoned by the injured fatherless.”

“If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless - That is, if I have taken advantage of my rank, influence, and power, to oppress and injure him. When I saw my help in the gate - The gate of a city was a place of concourse; a place where debates were held, and where justice was administered. Job speaks here of that part of his life when he was clothed with authority as a magistrate, or when he had power and influence as a public man. He says that he had never abused this power to oppress the fatherless. He had never taken advantage of his influence to injure them, because he saw he had a strong party under his control, or because he had power enough to carry his point, or because he had…”

“When - When I saw I could influence the judges to do what I pleased. Job 31:23”

“31:21 knowing the judges would take my side: Job was respected and regarded as a member of the elite class (29:7-10).”

“lifted: Job 6:27, Job 22:9, Job 24:9, Job 29:12; Pro 23:10, Pro 23:11; Jer 5:28; Eze 22:7 when: Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2, Mic 7:3 Job 31:22”