Isaiah 38:19

The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

The living {H2416}, the living {H2416}, he shall praise {H3034} thee, as I do this day {H3117}: the father {H1} to the children {H1121} shall make known {H3045} thy truth {H571}.

The living, the living - they can thank you, as I do today; fathers will make their children know about your faithfulness.

The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.

The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: The father to the children shall make known thy truth.

Isaiah 38:19 (KJV) is a powerful declaration from King Hezekiah's psalm of thanksgiving after God miraculously healed him from a life-threatening illness. This verse beautifully articulates the purpose of continued life and the crucial responsibility of passing on God's truth to future generations.

Context

This verse is part of a psalm (Isaiah 38:9-20) composed by King Hezekiah following his miraculous recovery. Hezekiah had been told by the prophet Isaiah that he would die from his illness (Isaiah 38:1). In deep distress, Hezekiah prayed fervently to the Lord, reminding God of his faithful walk (Isaiah 38:3). God heard his prayer and, through Isaiah, promised to add fifteen years to his life (Isaiah 38:5). Hezekiah's psalm reflects his profound gratitude and a newfound appreciation for life, recognizing that only the living can actively praise God, unlike those in the grave.

Key Themes

  • The Privilege of Life and Praise: The emphatic repetition "The living, the living" underscores that life itself is a precious gift, primarily given for the purpose of praising God. Hezekiah contrasts his renewed capacity to praise with the silence of the dead, emphasizing that earthly praise and worship are the domain of the living.
  • Intergenerational Transmission of Truth: A central message is the responsibility of parents, specifically "the father to the children," to transmit God's truth. This speaks to the vital role of spiritual legacy, ensuring that God's faithfulness, His deeds, and His character are not forgotten but are actively taught and lived out across generations. This echoes the biblical command to diligently teach God's statutes to one's children.
  • God's Faithfulness and Deliverance: Hezekiah's personal testimony of healing serves as a powerful witness to God's ability to intervene in human affairs and His unwavering faithfulness to those who seek Him. His experience becomes a living testament to be shared.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "The living, the living" is a powerful reduplication, emphasizing the concept of being alive and capable of action. It highlights the stark contrast between the vibrant activity of the living and the inactivity of the grave (Sheol). The word for "praise" (Hebrew: yadah) often signifies giving thanks, confession, or praise with outstretched hands. "Thy truth" comes from the Hebrew word emet, which encompasses not just factual accuracy but also God's faithfulness, reliability, and covenant loyalty. Hezekiah commits to making known God's trustworthy character and His saving acts.

Practical Application

Isaiah 38:19 offers timeless principles for believers today:

  • Cherish Life as an Opportunity for Praise: Every day we live is a gift from God, an opportunity to glorify Him through our words, actions, and worship. Our very existence should be a continuous act of praise.
  • Share Your Testimony: Like Hezekiah, we are called to share how God has worked in our lives, His deliverance, and His faithfulness. Our personal stories can be powerful witnesses to God's truth.
  • Invest in Spiritual Legacy: Parents, and indeed all believers, have a solemn responsibility to pass on the knowledge of God's truth to the next generation. This involves not only teaching doctrine but also modeling a life of faith, demonstrating God's faithfulness through our own lives, as seen in Psalm 78:4. This ensures that the praises of God continue through time.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Deuteronomy 6:7

    And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

  • Psalms 119:175

    ¶ Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

  • Deuteronomy 4:9

    Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

  • Psalms 78:3

    Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

  • Psalms 78:6

    That the generation to come might know [them, even] the children [which] should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their children:

  • Exodus 12:26

    And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

  • Exodus 12:27

    That ye shall say, It [is] the sacrifice of the LORD'S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

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