9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness: 10 I said, In the meridian of my days I shall go to the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the rest of my years. 11 I said, I shall not see Jah, Jah in the land of the living. With those who dwell where all has ceased to be, I shall behold man no more. 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 separateth me from the thrum:—from day to night thou wilt make an end of me. 13 I kept still until the morning; ... as a lion, so doth he break all my bones. From day to night thou wilt make an end of me. 14 Like a swallow [or] a crane, so did I chatter; I mourned as a dove; mine eyes failed [with looking] upward: Lord, 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 Lord, by these things [men] live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit; and thou hast recovered me, and made me to live. 17 Behold, instead of peace I had bitterness upon bitterness; but thou hast in love delivered my soul from the pit of destruction; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. 18 For not Sheol shall praise thee, nor death celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit do not hope for thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 20 Jehovah was [purposed] to save me.—And we will play upon my stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of Jehovah. 21 Now Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover. 22 And Hezekiah had said, What is the sign that I shall go up into the house of Jehovah?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 38:9-22
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.