Isaiah 38:20 is the closing declaration of King Hezekiah’s prayer of thanksgiving after he recovered from a deadly illness. Hezekiah confirms that the Lord has rescued him, and he commits to a lifetime of worship in the temple with music. The verse is a personal vow of gratitude, spoken by Hezekiah himself, and it is addressed to God and to the community of Judah who would gather to worship.
The LORD will save me. Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our life in the LORD’s house.
Isaiah 38:20 (WEB)
What Isaiah 38:20 Means
The verse begins with a settled statement: “The LORD will save me.” Hezekiah is not hoping in a vague way. He has just been told he would die, then was healed after praying, and he now speaks of God’s deliverance as already decided. The word “therefore” links his gratitude directly to that rescue. Because God has saved him, his response is to sing.
The second half describes what that singing will look like. Hezekiah promises to play his songs with stringed instruments, and to do so “all the days of our life” in the Lord’s house. He is not offering a single celebration. He is describing a whole life shaped by worship in the place where God’s people met him. The verse also uses “we,” so Hezekiah includes the people around him in this commitment.
What the verse does not promise is a life without suffering or a guarantee that every sickness will end this way. Hezekiah speaks from one specific deliverance, and his words express gratitude for that particular mercy. Read carefully, the verse shows a response to God’s saving act rather than a formula that ensures outcomes.
The Context of Isaiah 38:20
Isaiah 38 belongs to the second half of the book of Isaiah, which is traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, who ministered in Judah in the late eighth century BC. The chapter recounts a moment when Isaiah brought a message to King Hezekiah that he would die, and then a second message that God had added years to his life. The prayer in verses 9 to 20 is Hezekiah’s own words of thanks, and it is the setting in which this verse appears.
The verses just before describe Hezekiah’s thought that the grave cannot praise God and that the dead cannot hope in his faithfulness. Verse 19 then says that the living are the ones who praise God, and that parents teach his truth to their children. Verse 20 therefore completes that thought: because Hezekiah is alive, he will praise God, and he will do it in the community of worship. Seen this way, the verse is less a private feeling and more a commitment to a shared life of praise.
Key Phrases in Isaiah 38:20
Psalm 30:11-12
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent. The LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
(WEB)
This passage is a song of thanksgiving in which the psalmist describes God turning mourning into dancing. Like Hezekiah, the psalmist responds to deliverance with a vow to give thanks forever, showing that rescue naturally leads to praise.
Isaiah 12:2-3
2 Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, the LORD, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.” 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.
(WEB)
In this song of praise from the same book, the prophet speaks of God as salvation and strength. It gives a wider picture of the trust and joy that Hezekiah expresses, rooting his confidence in God’s character across the whole prophetic vision.
A Short Prayer From Isaiah 38:20
Lord, you have rescued me from things I could not fix on my own, and I am grateful beyond words. Help me to remember what you have done and to let my gratitude shape the rest of my days. Teach me to bring my songs and my thanks into the company of your people, and give me the courage to tell others about your faithfulness. Whatever comes next, may my life be a steady offering of praise to you. Amen.
