Isaiah 38:9-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
9 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)
Isaiah 38:9-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
9 A poem by Hezekiah king of Judah after he had been sick and had recovered from his illness:
10 I said: In the prime[a] of my life[b](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.[c]
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.[d](F)
You make an end of me from day until night.(G)
13 I thought until the morning:
He will break all my bones like a lion;
You make an end of me day and night.
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, because of these promises people live,(L)
and in all of them is the life of my spirit as well;
You have restored me to health(M)
and let me live.(N)
17 Indeed, it was for my own welfare
that I had such great 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 will[e] save me;
we will play stringed instruments
all the days of our lives
at the house of the Lord.(T)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 38:10 Lit quiet
- Isaiah 38:10 Lit days
- Isaiah 38:11 Some Hb mss, Tg read of the world
- Isaiah 38:12 Lit thrum
- Isaiah 38:20 Lit to
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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