Isaiah 38:9-22

Isaiah 38:9-22

[9] The writing  of Hezekiah  king  of Judah,  when he had been sick,  and was recovered  of his sickness:  [10] I said  in the cutting off  of my days,  to the gates  of the grave:  I am deprived  of the residue  of my years.  [11] I said,  I shall not see  the LORD,  in the land  of the living:  I shall behold  man  no more with the inhabitants  of the world.  [12] Mine age  is departed,  and is removed  from me as a shepherd's  tent:  I have cut off  like a weaver  my life:  he will cut me off  with pining sickness:  from day  even to night  wilt thou make an end  [13] I reckoned  till morning,  that, as a lion,  so will he break  all my bones:  from day  even to night  wilt thou make an end  [14] Like a crane  or a swallow,  so did I chatter:  I did mourn  as a dove:  mine eyes  fail  with looking upward:  I am oppressed;  undertake  for me. [15] What shall I say?  he hath both spoken  unto me, and himself hath done  it: I shall go softly  all my years  in the bitterness  of my soul.  [16] O Lord,  by these things men live,  and in all these things is the life  of my spirit:  so wilt thou recover  me, and make me to live.  [17] Behold, for peace  I had great bitterness:  but thou hast in love  to my soul  delivered it from the pit  of corruption:  for thou hast cast  all my sins  behind  thy back.  [18] For the grave  cannot praise  thee, death  can not celebrate  thee: they that go down  into the pit  cannot hope  for thy truth.  [19] The living,  he shall praise  thee, as I do this day:  the father  to the children  shall make known  thy truth.  [20] The LORD  was ready to save  me: therefore we will sing my songs  to the stringed instruments  all the days  of our life  in the house  of the LORD.  [21] For Isaiah  had said,  Let them take  a lump  of figs,  and lay it for a plaister  upon the boil,  and he shall recover.  [22] Hezekiah  also had said,  What is the sign  that I shall go up  to the house  of the LORD? 

What does Isaiah 38:9-22 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The bulk of this section is a psalm of lamentation and thanksgiving that Hezekiah composed after his recovery ( Isaiah 38:10-20). It is the only extant narrative in the Old Testament written by a king of Judah after the time of Solomon. [1] Compare King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon"s similar testimony of praise, after God delivered him from insanity ( Daniel 4:34-35). This psalm is also chiastic in structure. It begins with reference to the gates of Sheol and sorrow at the prospect of shortened days ( Isaiah 38:10), and it ends with reference to the house of the Lord and joy at the prospect of lengthened days ( Isaiah 38:20). The king began by referring to the land of the living being exchanged for the departed ( Isaiah 38:11), and he ended with reference to the land of the departed exchanged for the land of the living ( Isaiah 38:18-19). In the middle, he contrasted God"s hostility ( Isaiah 38:12-14) with His restoration ( Isaiah 38:15-17). [2] Hezekiah described his condition first ( Isaiah 38:9-14), and then he praised God for His mercy ( Isaiah 38:15-20).