Isaiah 38:9-20

Evangelical Heritage Version

¹⁰ I thought that, only halfway through my life,
I was entering into the gates of death,^[b]
deprived of the remaining years of my life.
¹¹ I thought, I will not see the Lord—
the Lord^[c] in the land of the living.
I will no longer see anyone among the inhabitants of the world.^[d]
12 My dwelling place is being pulled down.
It is carried away from me like a shepherd’s tent.
I have rolled up my life like a weaver.
He is cutting me off from the loom.
From day until night, you make an end of me.^[e]
13 I pondered this until the morning.
He will break all my bones like a lion!
From day until night, you make an end of me.
¹⁴ I chirp weakly like a swift or a swallow.
I mourn like a dove.
My eyes are tired from looking upward.
O Lord, I am oppressed.
Be my security.

¹⁵ What can I say?
He has spoken to me, and he is the one to act.
I will march slowly throughout all my years,
because my heart is bitter.^[f]
16 Lord, people live because you give them life.
My spirit lives through this.^[g]
Restore me, and let me live.^[h]
17 The bitter things I experienced were for my benefit.
Your love has preserved my life from the pit of destruction,
for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.
¹⁸ The grave^[i] cannot thank you.
Death cannot praise you.
Those who go down into the pit cannot trust your faithfulness.
¹⁹ The living one, the living one, he praises you, as I do today.
A father tells his children about your faithfulness.
²⁰ The Lord will save me,
so we will sing songs with stringed instruments
    all the days of our lives in the House of the Lord.