A poem by King Hezekiah of Judah after he had been sick and had recovered from his illness:

10 I said: In the prime[a] of my life(A)
I must go to the gates of Sheol;(B)
I am deprived of the rest of my years.
11 I said: I will never see the Lord,
the Lord in the land of the living;(C)
I will not look on humanity any longer
with the inhabitants of what is passing away.[b]
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
like a shepherd’s tent.(D)
I have rolled up my life like a weaver;(E)
he cuts me off from the loom.(F)
By nightfall[c] you make an end of me.(G)
13 I thought until the morning:
He will break all my bones like a lion.
By nightfall you make an end of me.
14 I chirp like a swallow or a crane;
I moan like a dove.(H)
My eyes grow weak looking upward.
Lord, I am oppressed; support me.(I)

15 What can I say?
He has spoken to me,
and he himself has done it.
I walk along slowly all my years(J)
because of the bitterness of my soul.(K)
16 Lord, by such things people live,(L)
and in every one of them my spirit finds life;
you have restored me to health(M)
and let me live.(N)
17 Indeed, it was for my own well-being
that I had such intense bitterness;(O)
but your love has delivered me
from the Pit of destruction,(P)
for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.(Q)
18 For Sheol cannot thank you;
Death cannot praise you.(R)
Those who go down to the Pit
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, only the living can thank you,
as I do today;
a father will make your faithfulness known to children.(S)
20 The Lord is ready to save me;
we will play stringed instruments
all the days of our lives
at the house of the Lord.(T)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 38:10 Lit quiet
  2. 38:11 Some Hb mss, Tg read of the world
  3. 38:12 Lit From day until night, also in v. 13

A writing of King Hezekiah of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

10 I said: In the noontide of my days
    I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
    for the rest of my years.(A)
11 I said, I shall not see the Lord
    in the land of the living;
I shall look upon mortals no more
    among the inhabitants of the world.(B)
12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
    like a shepherd’s tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
    he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;(C)
13     I cry for help[a] until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
    from day to night you bring me to an end.(D)

14 Like a swallow or a crane[b] I clamor;
    I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
    O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security!(E)
15 But what can I say? For he has spoken to me,
    and he himself has done it.
All my sleep has fled[c]
    because of the bitterness of my soul.(F)

16 O Lord, by these things people live,
    and in all these is the life of my spirit.[d]
    Oh, restore me to health and make me live!
17 Surely it was for my welfare
    that I had great bitterness,
but you have held back[e] my life
    from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
    behind your back.(G)
18 For Sheol cannot thank you;
    death cannot praise you;
those who go down to the Pit cannot hope
    for your faithfulness.(H)
19 The living, the living, they thank you,
    as I do this day;
fathers make known to children
    your faithfulness.(I)

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing to stringed instruments[f]
all the days of our lives,
    at the house of the Lord.(J)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 38.13 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 38.14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 38.15 Cn Compare Syr: Heb I will walk slowly all my years
  4. 38.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  5. 38.17 Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb loved
  6. 38.20 Heb my stringed instruments

A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

10 I said, “In the prime of my life(A)
    must I go through the gates of death(B)
    and be robbed of the rest of my years?(C)
11 I said, “I will not again see the Lord himself(D)
    in the land of the living;(E)
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(F) my house
    has been pulled down(G) and taken from me.
Like a weaver I have rolled(H) up my life,
    and he has cut me off from the loom;(I)
    day and night(J) you made an end of me.
13 I waited patiently(K) till dawn,
    but like a lion he broke(L) all my bones;(M)
    day and night(N) you made an end of me.
14 I cried like a swift or thrush,
    I moaned like a mourning dove.(O)
My eyes grew weak(P) as I looked to the heavens.
    I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!”(Q)

15 But what can I say?(R)
    He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.(S)
I will walk humbly(T) all my years
    because of this anguish of my soul.(U)
16 Lord, by such things people live;
    and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
    and let me live.(V)
17 Surely it was for my benefit(W)
    that I suffered such anguish.(X)
In your love you kept me
    from the pit(Y) of destruction;
you have put all my sins(Z)
    behind your back.(AA)
18 For the grave(AB) cannot praise you,
    death cannot sing your praise;(AC)
those who go down to the pit(AD)
    cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise(AE) you,
    as I am doing today;
parents tell their children(AF)
    about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
    and we will sing(AG) with stringed instruments(AH)
all the days of our lives(AI)
    in the temple(AJ) of the Lord.

Read full chapter