Isaiah 38:16
ESV
O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live!
NIV
Lord, by such things people live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live.
NASB
Lord, by these things people live, And in all these is the life of my spirit; Restore me to health and let me live!
CSB
Lord, by such things people live, and in every one of them my spirit finds life; you have restored me to health and let me live.
NLT
Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live!
KJV
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.
NKJV
O Lord, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live.
What does Isaiah 38:16 mean?
This verse is one of several in the passage that challenges translators. The object of the statement appears to be the words of God (Isaiah 38:15). Every life is begun, guided, and ended by the will of the Lord. He may also be referring to the praise and remembrance of God depicted in the surrounding verses.Hezekiah is recording a psalm of praise to the Lord (Isaiah 38:9). The king was given a fatal diagnosis (Isaiah 38:1). He responded with humble prayer and the Lord granted him fifteen more years of life (Isaiah 38:2–5). In the first half of the psalm, Hezekiah explains his feelings of despair over the prospect of dying so young (Isaiah 38:10–15). This verse marks a shift as the subject turns to God's gracious answer to prayer. Hezekiah is either expressing his request to be healed or stating that God sent healing.
In any case, the psalm continues with a realization: the experience was a benefit to Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:17). This illness drove him closer to the Lord with a better appreciation for the blessings of his life (Isaiah 38:18–20).
