Isaiah 38:9-22

Hezekiah's song

9 When Hezekiah became better from his disease, he wrote this song:

10 I thought that I might die in the middle of my life.

I thought that I would go into the deep hole of death,

before I had lived all the years of my life.

11 I thought, ‘I will not see the Lord again,

while I live in this world.

I will no longer see the people who live in the world.

I will no longer live among them.’

12 My home here has gone,

as easily as they pull down a shepherd's tent.

God has cut off my life,

like a piece of cloth that they have just made.

They cut it off and they roll it up.

As quickly as day becomes night,

God brings my life to an end.

13 I waited until morning would come.

It seemed like God was breaking all my bones,

like a lion does.

As quickly as day becomes night,

God brings my life to an end.

14 I cry like a swallow.

I make a sad noise like a dove.

My eyes are weak as I look up to heaven for help.

Lord God, save me from my trouble!

15 I do not know what I can say.

The Lord has told me what must happen.

He has done what he decided to do.

I will live quietly for the rest of my life,

because I am very sad and upset.

16 Lord God, your promises give life to people.

May they give life to my spirit.

Please make me well again and let me live.

17 Yes, it was good for me to have this trouble.

You rescued me from the deep hole of death.

You removed my sins,

and you put them behind your back.

18 Dead people in their graves cannot praise you.

They cannot sing to thank you.

People who go down into the deep hole of death

cannot trust you to help them.

19 It is those people who are alive that can thank you.

And I am doing it today.

Fathers tell their children that they can trust you.

20 The Lord will now save me from death.

We will sing to thank the Lord in his temple.

We will sing with happy music every day of our lives.

21 Now Isaiah had said this: ‘Take some figs to make a medicine and put it on Hezekiah's boil. Then he will get better.’ 22 Hezekiah had asked, ‘What will show me that I will be able to go up to the Lord's temple?’