9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah concerning his being sick, when he reviveth from his sickness: 10 'I—I said in the cutting off of my days, I go in to the gates of Sheol, I have numbered the remnant of mine years. 11 I said, I do not see Jah—Jah! In the land of the living, I do not behold man any more, With the inhabitants of the world. 12 My sojourning hath departed, And been removed from me as a shepherd's tent, I have drawn together, as a weaver, my life, By weakness it cutteth me off, From day unto night Thou dost end me. 13 I have set 'Him' till morning as a lion, So doth He break all my bones, From day unto night Thou dost end me. 14 As a crane—a swallow—so I chatter, I mourn as a dove, Drawn up have been mine eyes on high, O Jehovah, oppression 'is' on me, be my surety. 15 —What do I say? seeing He said to me, And He Himself hath wrought, I go softly all my years for the bitterness of my soul. 16 Lord, by these do 'men' live, And by all in them 'is' the life of my spirit, And Thou savest me, make me also to live, 17 Lo, to peace He changed for me bitterness, And Thou hast delighted in my soul without corruption, For Thou hast cast behind Thy back all my sins. 18 For Sheol doth not confess Thee, Death doth not praise Thee, Those going down to the pit hope not for Thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he doth confess Thee. 20 Like myself to-day—a father to sons Doth make known of Thy faithfulness, O Jehovah—to save me: And my songs we sing all days of our lives In the house of Jehovah.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 38:9-20
Commentary on Isaiah 38:9-22
(Read Isaiah 38:9-22)
We have here Hezekiah's thanksgiving. It is well for us to remember the mercies we receive in sickness. Hezekiah records the condition he was in. He dwells upon this; I shall no more see the Lord. A good man wishes not to live for any other end than that he may serve God, and have communion with him. Our present residence is like that of a shepherd in his hut, a poor, mean, and cold lodging, and with a trust committed to our charge, as the shepherd has. Our days are compared to the weaver's shuttle, Job 7:6, passing and repassing very swiftly, every throw leaving a thread behind it; and when finished, the piece is cut off, taken out of the loom, and showed to our Master to be judged of. A good man, when his life is cut off, his cares and fatigues are cut off with it, and he rests from his labours. But our times are in God's hand; he has appointed what shall be the length of the piece. When sick, we are very apt to calculate our time, but are still at uncertainty. It should be more our care how we shall get safe to another world. And the more we taste of the loving-kindness of God, the more will our hearts love him, and live to him. It was in love to our poor perishing souls that Christ delivered them. The pardon does not make the sin not to have been sin, but not to be punished as it deserves. It is pleasant to think of our recoveries from sickness, when we see them flowing from the pardon of sin. Hezekiah's opportunity to glorify God in this world, he made the business, and pleasure, and end of life. Being recovered, he resolves to abound in praising and serving God. God's promises are not to do away, but to quicken and encourage the use of means. Life and health are given that we may glorify God and do good.