Isaiah 38:19
ESV
The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness.
NIV
The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness.
NASB
It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today; A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.
CSB
The living, only the living can thank you, as I do today; a father will make your faithfulness known to children.
NLT
Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next.
KJV
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
NKJV
The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day; The father shall make known Your truth to the children.
What does Isaiah 38:19 mean?
Every life is created and sustained by God according to His will. Hezekiah was stricken with a fatal disease (Isaiah 38:1) and responded with a sincere plea (Isaiah 38:2–3). The Lord's answer was to give the king another fifteen years of life (Isaiah 38:34).The psalm he wrote to record the experience (Isaiah 38:9) has explained Hezekiah's thought process. This began with natural human discouragement (Isaiah 38:10–15). Then, it shifted to renewed perspective and trust (Isaiah 38:16–18). The sickness was a blessing in disguise because it drew Hezekiah closer to God and made him more aware of his blessings.Here, the king expresses his gratitude. He notes that the living, not the dead (Isaiah 38:18), can praise the Lord for their condition. Those who live to understand God's goodness can also pass that knowledge down to the next generation. With the time he has left, Hezekiah can explain these things to more people.
