This verse encourages all who are redeemed by the Lord to respond with a devoted heart and joyful melody.
King Hezekiah, who ruled the southern kingdom of Judah between 715 and 686 BC, offered heartfelt praise to God after being miraculously healed from a life-threatening illness. He declares: “The LORD will surely save me; so we will play my songs on stringed instruments all the days of our life at the house of the LORD” (v.20). The “house of the LORD” here is the temple in Jerusalem, the focal point of worship where God’s people gathered to honor Him and experience His presence. This same story appears in Isaiah 37and, 38 and is likewise chronicled in 2 Kings 18-19 and 2 Chronicles 32, indicating its great importance to Israel’s history.
By testifying that “the LORD will surely save me” (v.20), Hezekiah acknowledges that his rescue was solely the work of God’s gracious hand. In the broader narrative, Hezekiah faced both the threat of the Assyrian empire and his own severe illness, but God delivered him from both. The king’s response here underscores a deep gratitude that transcends mere words, moving him to a lifetime of worship through making music in God’s presence. Playing “songs on stringed instruments” (v.20) reflects the joyful outpouring of praise that arises when a believer personally experiences God’s mercy and restoration.
Hezekiah’s vow to worship “all the days of our life” (v.20) serves as a powerful reminder that God’s salvation deserves an ongoing response. In the New Testament, Jesus’s work on the cross provides eternal salvation for those who believe (John 3:16), and believers are likewise called to praise and honor Him continually (Ephesians 5:19). This consistent worship points back to Isaiah 38:20’s theme of giving God glory for His deliverance—and doing so in the very place given for His name to dwell.
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Isaiah 38:20 meaning
King Hezekiah, who ruled the southern kingdom of Judah between 715 and 686 BC, offered heartfelt praise to God after being miraculously healed from a life-threatening illness. He declares: “The LORD will surely save me; so we will play my songs on stringed instruments all the days of our life at the house of the LORD” (v.20). The “house of the LORD” here is the temple in Jerusalem, the focal point of worship where God’s people gathered to honor Him and experience His presence. This same story appears in Isaiah 37and, 38 and is likewise chronicled in 2 Kings 18-19 and 2 Chronicles 32, indicating its great importance to Israel’s history.
By testifying that “the LORD will surely save me” (v.20), Hezekiah acknowledges that his rescue was solely the work of God’s gracious hand. In the broader narrative, Hezekiah faced both the threat of the Assyrian empire and his own severe illness, but God delivered him from both. The king’s response here underscores a deep gratitude that transcends mere words, moving him to a lifetime of worship through making music in God’s presence. Playing “songs on stringed instruments” (v.20) reflects the joyful outpouring of praise that arises when a believer personally experiences God’s mercy and restoration.
Hezekiah’s vow to worship “all the days of our life” (v.20) serves as a powerful reminder that God’s salvation deserves an ongoing response. In the New Testament, Jesus’s work on the cross provides eternal salvation for those who believe (John 3:16), and believers are likewise called to praise and honor Him continually (Ephesians 5:19). This consistent worship points back to Isaiah 38:20’s theme of giving God glory for His deliverance—and doing so in the very place given for His name to dwell.