John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 38:10

"I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the residue of my years." — Isaiah 38:10 (ASV)

I said in the cutting off of my days. This is a very melancholy song, for it contains complaints rather than prayers. Therefore, it is evident that he was oppressed by such great perplexity that he was weary with groaning, sunk in lamentations, and did not venture to rise up freely to form a prayer. Murmuring thus within himself, he expresses the cause and intensity of his grief.

As for the cause, it might be thought strange that he had so strong an attachment and so ardent a longing for this fading life, and that he so greatly dreaded death. The tendency of the foundational elements of heavenly doctrine is that we may learn to sojourn in this world and to advance swiftly towards the heavenly life. Hezekiah appears to be as warmly devoted to the earth as if he had never had the smallest particle of piety; he shuns and abhors death as much as if he had never heard a word about heavenly doctrine.

Now, what purpose did it serve to commit to writing those stormy passions, which would more likely prompt readers to the same excess than induce them to obey God? For we are too prone to rebellion, even if there are no additional incitements of any kind.

But when it is minutely, wisely, and carefully examined, we will find that nothing could have been more advantageous to us than to have this picture of a man overwhelmed with grief depicted true to life. It was not the good king’s objective, in proclaiming his virtues, to seek the world’s applause. His prayer was undoubtedly a proof both of faith and of obedience; but, as if he had been overcome by fear, dread, and sorrow, he ceases prayer and feebly utters complaints. He unquestionably intended to make known his weakness, and thus to give a lesson of humility to all the children of God, and at the same time to magnify the grace of God, which had brought a ruined man out of the lowest depths of death.

Regarding the manner in which he deplores his fate when he is near death—as if he placed his existence on the earth and thought that death reduced people to nothing—we must consider the special reason. For while death is not desirable in itself, believers nevertheless ought to `groan continually` (Romans 8:23), because sin holds them bound in the prison of the flesh. They are also forbidden to `mourn as unbelievers usually mourn` (1 Thessalonians 4:13), and are even commanded to `lift up their heads` when they are about to depart from the world, because they are received into a happier life (Luke 21:28).

Nor was the ancient Church under the Law lacking this consolation; and, although the knowledge of a blessed resurrection was less clear, it must still have been sufficient for lessening sorrow. If that impostor Balaam was forced to exclaim, `Let my soul die the death of the righteous` (Numbers 23:10), what joy must have filled the hearts of believers, in whose ears that voice resounded: `I am the God of Abraham!` (Exodus 3:6)?

But although with steady and assured hope they looked forward to the heavenly life, we still should not be surprised to see in Hezekiah what David confesses about himself (Psalms 30:9), who yet, when his time came, full of days, calmly left the world (1 Kings 2:10). It is therefore evident that both of them were not assailed by the mere dread of death, but that they prayed with tears to be delivered from death, because they saw in it clear signs of God’s anger. We should remember that the Prophet came as a herald to announce Hezekiah’s death in the name of God. This message might naturally have plunged all Hezekiah’s senses into a frightful deluge of grief, so that, thinking of nothing but God’s wrath and curse, he would struggle with despair.

Thus Hezekiah’s piety already begins to show itself when, placing himself before the tribunal of his Judge, he applies his mind to meditating on his guilt. And, first, the thought by which David confesses he was tempted might occur to him: “What did God mean by treating His servants with cruel severity and sparing profane despisers?” (Psalms 73:3).

Next, he saw that he was exposed to the jeers of the wicked, by whom true religion was also basely reviled. He saw that it was scarcely possible that his death would not shake the minds of all good people; but especially, he was oppressed by God’s wrath, as if he had already been condemned to hell and to the eternal curse.

In a word, because our true and perfect happiness consists in having fellowship with God, Hezekiah, perceiving that he was in some measure alienated from Him, had good reason for being so greatly alarmed. For that word, `Thou shalt die, and shalt not live,` had seized his mind so completely that he believed he must die.

This is expressed by the phrase I said; for in Hebrew it does not mean merely to speak or to pronounce a word, but to be persuaded or convinced in one’s own mind. Even though hypocrites receive a hundred threats from God, they still look around them on all sides, so that if they see any opening by which they think they can escape, they may mock God and give themselves up to luxury and indifference. But Hezekiah, being a sincere worshipper of God, did not resort to subterfuges; on the contrary, believing the words of the Prophet, he concluded that he must prepare for dying, because it was God’s good pleasure.

In this sense he speaks of the cutting off of his days, because he believed that an angry and offended God had broken off the course of his life. For he does not merely say in the ordinary manner that his life is cut short by a violent disease, but recognizes that undoubted judgment of God as the cause of “the cutting off.” Now, life is “cut off” whether we die at the entrance of life, in middle life, or in old age; but those who are hurried away in the very flower of their age are said to be “cut off” from life, because they appear to die too soon and before they have finished their course.

The case was different with Hezekiah, for he perceived that the remaining part of his life was “cut off” by the sword of God, because he had provoked God’s wrath by his offenses. Thus he complains that, as if he had been unworthy of enjoying it, God suddenly deprives him of life, which otherwise would have lasted longer.

Such is the meaning of the phrase “the residue of the years;” for although, being born mortal, we have reason to expect death every moment, yet since it was threatened as a punishment, he has good reason for saying that those years had been taken from him which he might have lived, if it had been God’s good pleasure.