92. Thou Hast in Love Delivered My Soul

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Hymns: RHC 105 I Will Praise Him! 106 Christ Liveth in Me 108 I’ve Found a Friend

Isaiah 38

1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. 7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: 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. 18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 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. 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?

Thou Hast in Love Delivered My Soul

OUTLINE

  • Impending Death Alerted
  • Impending Death Averted
  • Immense Gratitude Acknowledged 

INTRODUCTION

It is taboo to talk about death, much less of one’s own death. But the subject of our mortality should not be put aside since it is the inevitable outcome of mortal man. Therefore, it is well observed by CH Spurgeon, “to be familiar with the grave is prudence, … tis greatly wise to talk with our last hours…A thoughtful walk in the cemetery is good for our souls’ health.”

Isaiah came to king Hezekiah and said unto him, “Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live” (v1).

The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV) these words of assurance to the believers in Christ – For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

When the prophet Isaiah spoke to Hezekiah to set thine house in order, he was referring to his present life, all that we are, our body, our property and our family.

Our life in the final analysis is not our own. The earthly house of this tabernacle belongs to Him who built it and He who sustains it keeps the “title-deeds” in His own possession. Truly, it is the LORD who created us, and He did so for His glory. 

If the sustaining power of God be withdrawn, our bodily house would fall in the ruin of death and to utter dissolution of corruption.

Our bodily powers are bestowals of God’s omnipotent hand. The breath in our nostrils, our LORD is the One that keeps it there.

Therefore, Spurgeon well observed again, “It is most useful for each of us to know what the rights of God towards us are!” And it is a sad reflection when learn these rights, if we resist them, we become willful robbers and so increase our guilt. If we resist to have God to reign over us, it is a futile effort.

In Hezekiah’s moment of distress when confront by God’s prophet of his impending death, he humbled himself and sought the LORD. 

Confronted with the truth that his life belongs to the LORD, he sought the LORD for mercy and mercy was meted, his death was temporarily averted. He was given fifteen more years of life.

And the remedy for the restoration of Hezekiah’s health was a lump of figs laid as a plaister upon the boil – they were to take dried figs and lay them softened on the ulcer.

Spurgeon well observed, “And the means used for the renewal of his soul from the disease of despondency was something equally more effectual and far sweeter… The fact is that Hezekiah, under a mass of troubles, had sunk very low in doubts and fear, and dark forebodings, until he almost despaired, and therefore, the Lord shed aboard in his heart a sense of divine love – deep, true and mighty; and as Hezekiah’s body received, so Hezekiah’s spirits also rose, instead of chattering like a crane he began to sin the praise of the Most High. The remedy for his soul’s sickness was love. His heart was fetched from the grave of its despair by love; love was the hand of power that drew him up and love the cords by which he was uplifted.”

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: 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.

  • Impending Death Alerted 

1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

Great earthly endowment did not exempt anyone, here is Hezekiah’s case, from sickness and death. 

Our being ready for death, Matthew Henry rightly observed, “will make it come never the sooner, but much the easier; and those that are fit to die, are fit to live.”

When Hezekiah was distressed by his enemies, he prayed; now that he as sick he prayed. Indeed, afflictions are sent to bring us to our knees. The Hebrew word for “blessing” is the word for “kneeling”. When we come to the LORD to seek His way, He never fail to show what is good for us.

To turn his face towards the wall, is probably towards the temple, as a type of Christ, to whom we must look by faith in every prayer. [Matthew Henry]

He search his heart and examine his life before the LORD – Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 26:2 (KJV) Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Malachi 3:2-3 (KJV) But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Proverbs 17:3 (KJV) The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

Job 34:21 (KJV) For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

  • Impending Death Averted (v4-9)

4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. 7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. 9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:

Is any afflicted with sickness? Let him pray.

 James 5:13 (KJV) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

When Hezekiah was distressed by his enemies he prayed; now that he was sick he prayed. 

Afflictions are sent to bring us to our Bibles and to our knees. When Hezekiah was in health he went up to the house of the Lord to pray, for that was then the house of prayer. When he was sick in bed he turned his face towards the wall,probably towards the temple, which was a type of Christ, to whom we must look by faith in every prayer. 

Hezekiah does not demand a reward from God for his good services, but modestly begs that God would remembers, not how he had reformed the kingdom, taken away the high places, cleansed the temple, and revived neglected ordinances, but, which was better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices, how he had approved himself to God with a single eye and an honest heart, not only in these eminent performances, but in an even regular course of holy living: I have walked before thee in truth and sincerity, and with a perfect, that is, an upright, heart; for uprightness is our gospel perfection. 

God has a gracious ear open to the prayers of His afflicted people. The same prophet that was sent to Hezekiah with warning to prepare for death is sent to him with a promise that he shall not only recover, but be restored to a confirmed state of health and live fifteen years yet. 

As Jerusalem was distressed, so Hezekiah was diseased, that God might have the glory of the deliverance of both, and that prayer too might have the honour of being instrumental in the deliverance. 

When we pray in our sickness, though God send not to us such an answer as he here sent to Hezekiah, yet, if by His Spirit he bids us be of good cheer, assures us that our sins are forgiven us, that His grace shall be sufficient for us, and that, whether we live or die, we shall be his, we have no reason to say that we pray in vain. God answers us if he strengthens us with strength in our souls, though not with bodily strength. [Matthew Henry]

Psalm 138:3 (KJV) In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

Psalm 18:6 (KJV) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

Psalm 34:4-5 (KJV) I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

Psalm 27:13-14 (KJV) I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

The LORD condescended to give a sign to Hezekiah by the sundial moving backwards by ten degrees. It was a miracle that the LORD wrought to ascertain His will to Hezekiah of his extended lifespan.

  • Immense Gratitude Acknowledged 

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. 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. 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. 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.

We have here Hezekiah’s thanksgiving-song, which he penned, by divine direction, after his recovery. He might have taken some of the psalms of his father David, and made use of them for his purpose; he might have found many very pertinent ones. He ap2 Chronicles 29:30 (KJV) Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. pointed the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David. 

He put this thanksgiving in writing, that he might review it himself afterwards. There are writings which it is proper for us to draw up after we have been sick and have recovered. 

It is good to write a memorial of the affliction, and of the frame of our hearts under it, to keep a record of the thoughts we had of things when we were sick, the affections that were then working in us, to write a memorial of the mercies of a sick bed, and of our release from it, that they may never be forgotten, to write a thanksgiving to God, write a sure covenant with him, and seal it, to give it under our hands that we will never return again to folly. It is an excellent writing which Hezekiah here left, upon his recovery; and yet we find that he rendered not again according to the benefit done to him.

2 Chronicles 32:25 (KJV) But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

The impressions, one would think, should never have worn off, and yet, it seems, they did. Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better. 

From me as a shepherd’s tent – As suddenly as the tent of a shepherd is taken down, folded up, and transferred to another place. There is doubtless the idea here that he would continue to exist, but in another place, as the shepherd would pitch his tent or dwell in another place. He was to be cut off from the earth, but he expected to dwell among the dead. The whole passage conveys the idea that he expected to dwell in another state – as the shepherd dwells in another place when he strikes his tent, and it is removed. [Barnes]

I have cut off like a weaver my life – This is another image designed to express substantially the same idea. The sense is, as a weaver takes his web from the loom by cutting the warp, or the threads which bind it to the beam, and thus loosens it and takes it away, so his life was to be cut off. When it is said, ‘I cut off’ (קפדתי qipadetiy ), the idea is, doubtless, I AM cut off; or my life is cut off. Hezekiah here speaks of himself as the agent, because he might have felt that his sins and unworthiness were the cause. Life is often spoken of as a web that is woven, because an advance is constantly made in filling up the web, and because it is soon finished, and is then cut off.

As a lion so will he break all my bones – The idea is, that as a lion crushes the bones of his prey, producing great pain and sudden death, so it was with God in producing great pain and the prospect of sudden death.

From day even to night … – Between morning and night. That is, his pain so resembled the crushing of all the bones of an animal by the lion, that he could not hope to survive the day.[Barnes]

The deplorable condition he was in when his disease prevailed, and his despair of recovery (v10-13).

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. 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. 

I did mourn as a dove – The dove, from its plaintive sound, is an emblem of grief. The idea is that of the lonely or solitary dove that is lamenting or mourning for its companion.

Mine eyes fail – The word means properly to hang down, to swing like the branches of the willow; then to be languid, feeble, weak. Applied to the eye, it means that it languishes and becomes weak.

With looking upward – To God, for relief and comfort. He had looked so long and so intensely toward heaven for aid, that his eyes became weak and feeble.

O Lord, I am oppressed – This was his language in his affliction. He was so oppressed and borne down, that he cried to God for relief.

Undertake for me – means to become surety for him. Be surety for my life; give assurance that I shall be restored; take me under thy protection: ‘Be surety for thy servant for good.’

Psalm 119:122 (KJV) Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

What shall I say? – This language seems to denote surprise and gratitude at unexpected deliverance. It is the language of a heart that is overflowing, and that wants words to express its deep emotions. In the previous verse he had described his pain, anguish, and despair. In this he records the sudden and surprising deliverance which God had granted; which was so great that no words could express his sense of it. Nothing could be more natural than this language; nothing would more appropriately express the feelings of a man who had been suddenly restored to health from dangerous sickness, and brought from the borders of the grave. [Barnes]

Psalm 13:5-6 (KJV) But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

The psalmist sought His God because it seemed that in his current dire predicament reaching the point of desperation, he felt that he had been forgotten by His God. 

Perhaps it is because of relationship problems, or perhaps it is because of sickness that threatens our life or those of our loved ones. Perhaps it is due to loss of a loved one. Do we feel we are abandoned by God? This is the psalmist testimony in times of depression and desperation, the feeling is so real. Does God truly abandon His children? No! This is the lesson that God wants to teach His children. 

This psalm is the prayer of the psalmist as he wrestled with His LORD to understand his predicament.

Three thoughts as we see the development of the thought-life of the psalmist in the face of a prolonged trial.

  • Acute Privation (v1-2)
  • Availing Prayer (3-4)
  • Abounding Peace (v5-6)

The fears and doubts in his heart he articulated in the opening verses to His LORD.

  • How long wilt thou forget me? (v 1a)
  • Forever? (1b)
  • How long wilt thou hid thy face from me (v 1c)
  • How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having counsel in my heart daily? (v 2a)
  • How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? (v 2b)

Dear friends, when unhappy news reach us, when calamity seem to come upon us one after another, and comes the prolonged period of trial, there is discouraging natural response which verse 1-2 tells us. 

This trial of faith that the psalmist is going through seemed so long that he has reached the limit of his ability to keep his composure.

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. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: 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. 18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. 

He will encourage himself and others with the experiences he had had of the goodness of God (v16): “By these thingswhich thou hast done for me they live, the kingdom lives” (for the life of such a king was the life of the kingdom); “all that hear of it shall live and be comforted; by the same power and goodness that have restored me all men have their souls held in life, and they ought to acknowledge it. 

In all these things is the life of my spirit, my spiritual life, that is supported and maintained by what God has done for the preservation of my natural life.” The more we taste of the loving-kindness of God in every providence the more will our hearts be enlarged to love him and live to him, and that will be the life of our spirit. Thus our souls live, and they shall praise him.

He magnifies the mercy of his recovery, on several accounts.

That he was raised up from great extremity (v17): Behold, for peace I had great bitterness. When, upon the defeat of Sennacherib, he expected nothing but an uninterrupted peace to himself and his government, he was suddenly seized with sickness, which embittered all his comforts to him, and went to such a height that it seemed to be the bitterness of death itself–bitterness, bitterness, nothing but gall and wormwood. This was his condition when God sent him seasonable relief.

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. 

Hezekiah was therefore glad to live, not that he might continue to enjoy his royal dignity and the honour and pleasure of his late successes, but that he might continue to praise God. The living must praise God; they live in vain if they do not. Those that have been dying and yet are living, whose life is from the dead, are in a special manner obliged to praise God, as being most sensibly affected with His goodness. [Matthew Henry]

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?

The miracle on the sundial was performed in answer to this request, and as a demonstration that he should yet be permitted to visit the temple of God. Amen.