Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. Surely for my own welfareThis phrase reflects a profound realization that the trials and sufferings experienced were ultimately for the speaker's benefit. In the Hebrew text, the word for "welfare" is "shalom," which encompasses peace, completeness, and well-being. The acknowledgment here is that God's purposes, even through hardship, are directed towards the ultimate good of the individual. This aligns with the broader biblical theme that God works all things for the good of those who love Him ( Romans 8:28). I had great bitterness
The Hebrew word for "bitterness" is "mar," which conveys a sense of intense suffering or distress. This phrase captures the depth of emotional and physical anguish experienced by Hezekiah. Historically, this reflects the period of Hezekiah's illness and the threat of death, which was a time of great personal trial. The acknowledgment of bitterness underscores the reality of human suffering, yet it is framed within the context of divine purpose. but Your love has delivered me
The word "love" here is translated from the Hebrew "chesed," which signifies steadfast love, mercy, and covenantal faithfulness. This phrase highlights the transformative power of God's love, which rescues and redeems. The deliverance mentioned is both physical, from illness, and spiritual, from despair. It is a testament to God's active involvement in the lives of His people, providing salvation and hope. from the pit of oblivion
The "pit" is often used metaphorically in Scripture to represent death or Sheol, the realm of the dead. "Oblivion" suggests a state of being forgotten or lost. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the pit was a place of no return, symbolizing the finality of death. The deliverance from this pit signifies a miraculous intervention by God, emphasizing His power over life and death and His ability to restore life. for You have cast all my sins behind Your back
This phrase is a vivid depiction of divine forgiveness. In the Hebrew context, to cast something behind one's back is to remove it from sight and consideration. This imagery conveys the completeness of God's forgiveness, where sins are not only forgiven but also forgotten. It reflects the biblical promise that God will remember our sins no more (Jeremiah 31:34), highlighting His grace and mercy. Persons / Places / Events 1. HezekiahThe king of Judah who experienced a life-threatening illness and was miraculously healed by God. His prayer and God's response are central to this passage. 2. IsaiahThe prophet who delivered God's message to Hezekiah, including the prophecy of his recovery and the extension of his life. 3. JerusalemThe capital of Judah, where Hezekiah reigned and where these events took place. 4. The Pit of OblivionA metaphorical expression referring to Sheol or the grave, symbolizing death and separation from life. 5. God's Love and ForgivenessThe divine attributes highlighted in this verse, emphasizing God's mercy and the removal of sins. Teaching Points Bitterness and GrowthLife's challenges, like Hezekiah's illness, can lead to spiritual growth and deeper reliance on God. God's DeliveranceGod's love is powerful enough to deliver us from the deepest pits, both physically and spiritually. Forgiveness and RenewalGod's forgiveness is complete; He casts our sins behind His back, offering us a fresh start. The Role of PrayerHezekiah's earnest prayer is a model for us, showing the importance of turning to God in times of distress. Trust in God's PlanEven when facing dire circumstances, trusting in God's plan can lead to unexpected blessings and deliverance. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Hezekiah's experience of "great bitterness" relate to times of personal trial in your own life? 2. In what ways can you see God's love delivering you from your own "pit of oblivion"? 3. How does the concept of God casting sins behind His back influence your understanding of forgiveness? 4. What role does prayer play in your life when facing difficult situations, and how can Hezekiah's example inspire you? 5. How can you apply the lessons from Hezekiah's account to trust in God's plan, even when the outcome seems uncertain? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 103This psalm speaks of God's forgiveness and the removal of sins, similar to the imagery of God casting sins behind His back. 2 Kings 20Provides a historical account of Hezekiah's illness and recovery, offering context to Isaiah 38. Micah 7:19Describes God casting sins into the depths of the sea, paralleling the idea of God removing sins from His presence. Hebrews 12:11Discusses the concept of discipline and how it can lead to a harvest of righteousness, akin to Hezekiah's experience of bitterness leading to welfare. | God's Way with Sin | R. Tuck | Isaiah 38:17 | | Face to Face with Death | W. Wheeler. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Hezekiah's Experience | E. Payson, D. D. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Hezekiah's Poem | E. W. Shalders, B. A. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Hezekiah's Recovery | R. Harris, D. D. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Hezekiah's Return to Health | P. M. Muir. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery | H. J. Gamble. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Hezekiah's Song | R. Harris, D. D. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | Sickness and Recovery | J. Leifchild, D. D. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | The Fear of Death | P. M. Muir. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | The Prayer of Hezekiah | P. M. Muir. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | The Wisdom of Keeping a Record of One's Life | J. Leifchild, D. D. | Isaiah 38:9-20 | | The Song of Hezekiah | E. Johnson | Isaiah 38:9-22 | | The Great Disclosure | W. Clarkson | Isaiah 38:11, 18, 19 | | A Sense of Pardoned Sin | | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Deliverance from Destruction | A. Littleton, D. D. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Hezekiah's Return of Praise for His Recovery | A. Littleton, . D. D. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Love's Medicines and Miracles | | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Miracles of Love | | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Pardon Realised | W. O. Lilley. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Sins Behind God's Back | W. O. Lilley. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | Soul-Pits | W. O. Lilley. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | The Assurance of Faith | John Cennick. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | The Pains and Pleasures Attending Religion | John Rippon. | Isaiah 38:17-19 | | The Purpose of God's Love | J. Parker, D. D. | Isaiah 38:17-19 |
People Ahaz, Amoz, David, Hezekiah, IsaiahPlaces AssyriaTopics Anguish, Behind, Behold, Benefit, Bitter, Bitterness, Cast, Changed, Corruption, Delighted, Delivered, Destruction, Hast, Held, Instead, Kept, Love, Memory, Nothingness, Peace, Pit, Sins, Sorrow, Soul, Suffered, Underworld, WelfareDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 38:17 1355 providence
4019 life, believers' experience
5127 back
5561 suffering, nature of
5565 suffering, of believers
6730 reinstatement Isaiah 38:17-18 4257 pit Library The Life of the Spirit
(First Sunday after Christmas.) Isaiah xxxviii. 16. O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit. These words are the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah; and they are true words, words from God. But, if they are true words, they are true words for every one--for you and me, for every one here in this church this day: for they do not say, By these things certain men live, one man here and another man there; but all men. Whosoever is really alive, that is, has …
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country SermonsNo Man Cometh to the Father but by Me.
This being added for further confirmation of what was formerly said, will point out unto us several necessary truths, as, I. That it is most necessary to be sound and clear in this fundamental point of coming to God only in and through Christ. For, 1. It is the whole marrow of the gospel. 2. It is the hinge of our salvation, Christ is "the chief corner stone," Isa. xxxviii. 16. 1 Pet. i. 5, 6; and, 3. The only ground of all our solid and true peace and comfort. 4 An error or a mistake here, is most …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life Epistle ii. To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch.
To Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch. Gregory to Anastasius, Patriarch of Antioch. I have received the letters of your most sweet Blessedness, which flowed with tears for words. For I saw in them a cloud flying aloft as clouds do; but, though it carried with it a darkness of sorrow, I could not easily discover at its commencement whence it came or whither it was going, since by reason of the darkness I speak of I did not fully understand its origin. Yet it becomes you, most holy ones, ever to recall …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Letter Xliv Concerning the Maccabees but to whom Written is Unknown.
Concerning the Maccabees But to Whom Written is Unknown. [69] He relies to the question why the Church has decreed a festival to the Maccabees alone of all the righteous under the ancient law. 1. Fulk, Abbot of Epernay, had already written to ask me the same question as your charity has addressed to your humble servant by Brother Hescelin. I have put off replying to him, being desirous to find, if possible, some statement in the Fathers about this which was asked, which I might send to him, rather …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Meditations for the Sick.
Whilst thy sickness remains, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his children. Those are ten. 1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit; like a good father, who suffers his tender babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Assurance
Q-xxxvi: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WHICH FLOW FROM SANCTIFICATION? A: Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. The first benefit flowing from sanctification is assurance of God's love. 'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet 1:10. Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of sanctification. The saints of old had it. We know that we know …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both. …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 38:17 NIVIsaiah 38:17 NLTIsaiah 38:17 ESVIsaiah 38:17 NASBIsaiah 38:17 KJV
Isaiah 38:17 Commentaries
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