Hezekiah's Psalm

Hezekiah’s Psalm of Woe and Praise

Turn to the Book of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38)

· Lament over approaching death - 38:10–13

· Petition to God - 38:14

· Benefits of suffering and restoration - 38:15–17a

· Thanksgiving for God’s salvation - 38:17b–20

Isaiah 38:9-22 this is a psalm or a poem of sorts.

The Lamenting Over Approaching Death.

9. The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:

10. I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

a. It’s just like us to feel “cut off” from God when we are sick or suffering. We feel forsaken of God who is cutting our life short.

b. It’s at those times many “go to the gates of the grave” in a sort of woe is me manner. As if the grave were an awful place for the child of God rather than a portal to heaven.

11. I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

a. We cling to what we leave behind rather than grasping the fulness of Christ, knowing that to be absent the body is to be present with the Lord. What about Seeing the Lord!

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 will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

a. I die young and my house is taken from me. Perhaps even family.

b. Like something cut from a weavers loom, his life is taken away.

c. Pi’ning, a wasting away. Is that what we are to think of God when death comes upon us and yet lingers? Knowing that all things work together for good…

d. In a day, in a moment my life shall be gone. I am reminded of Luke 12:16-20. (Go there)

13. I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

a. Forgetting that God loves us! He sees only pain, suffering, and death. It is of the flesh, for it is the flesh that dies.

Petition to God

14. Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

a. Still, knowing that all things are in the hands of God, he looks towards heaven – Psalm 121 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Benefits Of Suffering And Restoration (Perhaps even a picture of hope)

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.

a. John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

b. Job 7:11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

c. Sometimes we just need to be still and the Spirit within us pray, “…but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26c.

16. O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.

a. I hear the voice of Job crying out – “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” Job 19:25.

b. Believing that God will recover him even from the grave and cause him to live. This is the same hope that you and I have in Christ. The Hope of Glory!

17. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness:

a. His peace had been taken from him; all he knew was fear and suffering. READ 38:1-3.

Thanksgiving for God’s Salvation – 17b but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

a. As far as the East is from the West

b. David said, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” Psalm 32:1-2.

18. For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

a. Remember, this is a point of praise, knowing that God knows the dead do not praise Him

19. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

a. Quickened in the spirit by the Spirit!

20. The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

a. The LORD was ready to save me: BUT I was too busy in a woe is me moment.

b. Singing praises to God all the days of our lives.

21. For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.

22. Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?

a. Romans 8:9 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

The New American Commentary (NAC)

(2) Hezekiah’s Thanksgiving for Healing (38:9–20)

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

10 I said, “In the prime of my life

must I go through the gates of death

and be robbed of the rest of my years?”

11 I said, “I will not again see the LORD,

the LORD, in the land of the living;

no longer will I look on mankind,

or be with those who now dwell in this world.

12 Like a shepherd’s tent my house

has been pulled down and taken from me.

Like a weaver I have rolled up my life,

and he has cut me off from the loom;

day and night you made an end of me.

13 I waited patiently till dawn,

but like a lion he broke all my bones;

day and night you made an end of me.

14 I cried like a swift or thrush,

I moaned like a mourning dove.

My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens.

I am troubled; O Lord, come to my aid!”

15 But what can I say?

He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.

I will walk humbly all my years

because of this anguish of my soul.

16 Lord, by such things men live;

and my spirit finds life in them too.

You restored me to health

and let me live.

17 Surely it was for my benefit

that I suffered such anguish.

In your love you kept me

from the pit of destruction;

you have put all my sins

behind your back.

18 For the grave cannot praise you,

death cannot sing your praise;

those who go down to the pit

cannot hope for your faithfulness.

19 The living, the living—they praise you,

as I am doing today;

fathers tell their children

about your faithfulness.

20 The LORD will save me,

and we will sing with stringed instruments

all the days of our lives

in the temple of the LORD.

Smith, G. V. (2007). Isaiah 1–39. (E. R. Clendenen, Ed.) (pp. 642–643). Nashville: B & H Publishing Group.