Isaiah 38:11
ESV
I said, I shall not see the Lord, the Lord in the land of the living; I shall look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world.
NIV
I said, "I will not again see the Lord himself in the land of the living; no longer will I look on my fellow man, or be with those who now dwell in this world.
NASB
I said, 'I will not see the Lord, The Lord in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind among the inhabitants of the world.
CSB
I said: I will never see the Lord, the Lord in the land of the living; I will not look on humanity any longer with the inhabitants of what is passing away.
NLT
I said, 'Never again will I see the Lord GOD while still in the land of the living. Never again will I see my friends or be with those who live in this world.
KJV
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.
NKJV
I said, “I shall not see YAH, The Lord in the land of the living; I shall observe man no more among the inhabitants of the world.
What does Isaiah 38:11 mean?
Facing death often sharpens a person's awareness of how precious relationships and experiences can be. This is true even for those who cherish life and appreciate their situation. Here, Hezekiah mourns news that his illness is fatal (Isaiah 38:1). Beyond his own death, this means he will no longer be able to worship the Lord in the temple. Nor can he fellowship with others who also love God. To him, "seeing the Lord" means joining in temple worship, where God's presence was symbolized above the ark. Death would end these experiences.However, this is the early part of a psalm written to celebrate God's miraculous intervention (Isaiah 38:5). The angst Hezekiah experienced at first will be replaced with gratitude. In fact, Hezekiah will realize that this experience brought him closer to the Lord (Isaiah 38:17).
