Isaiah 38:9-20

9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:
10 I said, “In the prime of my life must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?”
11 I said, “I will not again see the LORD himself in the land of the living; no longer will I look on my fellow man, or be with those who now dwell in this world.
12 Like a shepherd’s tent my house has been pulled down and taken from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up my life, and he has cut me off from the loom; day and night you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently till dawn, but like a lion he broke all my bones; day and night you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”
15 But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul.
16 Lord, by such things people live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live.
17 Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.
18 For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness.
20 The LORD will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the LORD.

Isaiah 38:9-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 38

This chapter gives an account of Hezekiah's sickness, recovery, and thanksgiving on that account. His sickness, and the nature of it, and his preparation for it, as directed to by the prophet, Isa 38:1, his prayer to God upon it, Isa 38:2,3 the answer returned unto it, by which he is assured of living fifteen years more, and of the deliverance and protection of the city of Jerusalem from the Assyrians, Isa 38:4-6, the token of his recovery, the sun going back ten degrees on the dial of Ahaz, Isa 38:7,8, a writing of Hezekiah's upon his recovery, in commemoration of it, Isa 38:9, in which he represents the deplorable condition he had been in, the terrible apprehensions he had of things, especially of the wrath and fury of the Almighty, and his sorrowful and mournful complaints, Isa 38:10-14, he observes his deliverance according to the word of God; expresses his faith in it; promises to retain a cheerful sense of it; owning that it was by the promises of God that he had lived as other saints did; and ascribes his preservation from the grave to the love of God to him, of which the forgiveness of his sins was an evidence, Isa 38:15-17, the end of which salvation was, that he might praise the Lord, which he determined to do, on stringed instruments, Isa 38:18-20, and the chapter is closed with observing the means of curing him of his boil; and that it was at his request that the sign of his recovery was given him, Isa 38:21,22.

Cross References 36

  • 1. Psalms 102:24
  • 2. S Job 17:16; Psalms 107:18; 2 Corinthians 1:9
  • 3. S Job 17:11
  • 4. S Isaiah 12:2
  • 5. S Job 28:13; S Psalms 27:13; Psalms 116:9
  • 6. Isaiah 33:20; 2 Corinthians 5:1,4; 2 Peter 1:13-14
  • 7. S Job 4:21
  • 8. S Isaiah 34:4; Hebrews 1:12
  • 9. S Numbers 11:15; S Job 7:6; S Psalms 31:22
  • 10. ver 13; Psalms 32:4; Psalms 73:14
  • 11. S Psalms 37:7
  • 12. S Job 9:17; Psalms 51:8
  • 13. S Job 10:16; Jeremiah 34:17; Lamentations 3:4; Daniel 6:24
  • 14. S ver 12
  • 15. S Genesis 8:8; S Isaiah 59:11
  • 16. S Psalms 6:7
  • 17. S Genesis 50:24; S Job 17:3
  • 18. 2 Samuel 7:20
  • 19. S Psalms 39:9
  • 20. 1 Kings 21:27
  • 21. S Job 7:11
  • 22. Psalms 119:25; Hebrews 12:9
  • 23. Romans 8:28; Hebrews 12:11
  • 24. S Job 7:11; Psalms 119:71,75
  • 25. S Job 17:16; S Psalms 30:3
  • 26. Psalms 103:3; Jeremiah 31:34
  • 27. S Psalms 103:12; Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:19
  • 28. S Numbers 16:30; S Ecclesiastes 9:10
  • 29. Psalms 6:5; Psalms 88:10-11; Psalms 115:17
  • 30. S Psalms 30:9
  • 31. Deuteronomy 6:7; Psalms 118:17; Psalms 119:175
  • 32. S Deuteronomy 11:19
  • 33. Psalms 68:25
  • 34. S Psalms 33:2; S Psalms 45:8
  • 35. Psalms 23:6; S Psalms 63:4; Psalms 116:2
  • 36. Psalms 116:17-19
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.