9 A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery : 10 I said , " In the middle of my life I am to enter the gates of Sheol ; I am to be deprived of the rest of my years ." 11 I said , "I will not see the Lord , The Lord in the land of the living ; I will look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world . 12 "Like a shepherd's tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me; As a weaver I rolled up my life . He cuts me off from the loom ; From day until night You make an end of me. 13 "I composed my soul until morning . Like a lion -so He breaks all my bones , From day until night You make an end of me. 14 " Like a swallow , like a crane , so I twitter ; I moan like a dove ; My eyes look wistfully to the heights ; O Lord , I am oppressed , be my security . 15 " What shall I say ? For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it; I will wander about all my years because of the bitterness of my soul . 16 "O Lord , by these things men live , And in all these is the life of my spirit ; O restore me to health and let me live ! 17 "Lo , for my own welfare I had great bitterness ; It is You who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness , For You have cast all my sins behind Your back . 18 "For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness . 19 "It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today ; A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness . 20 "The Lord will surely save me; So we will play my songs on stringed instruments All the days of our life at the house of the Lord ."
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.