The Meaning of Isaiah 38:20 Explained

Isaiah 38:20

KJV: The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.

YLT: Like myself to-day -- a father to sons Doth make known of Thy faithfulness, O Jehovah -- to save me: And my songs we sing all days of our lives In the house of Jehovah.'

Darby: Jehovah was purposed to save me. And we will play upon my stringed instruments all the days of our life, in the house of Jehovah.

ASV: Jehovah is ready to save me: Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life in the house of Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  [was ready] to save  me: therefore we will sing my songs  to the stringed instruments  all the days  of our life  in the house  of the LORD. 

What does Isaiah 38:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Hezekiah concluded his poem of praise by affirming his belief that God would be faithful to him and would keep him alive for as long as He had promised ( Isaiah 38:5). This would be the basis for his continuing public praise of God in His presence for the rest of his life.

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 38

1  Hezekiah, having received a message of death, by prayer has his life lengthened
8  The sun goes ten degrees backward, for a sign of that promise
9  His song of thanksgiving

What do the individual words in Isaiah 38:20 mean?

Yahweh [was ready] to save me therefore with stringed instruments we will sing my songs all the days of our life in the house of Yahweh
יְהוָ֖ה לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י נְנַגֵּ֛ן כָּל־ יְמֵ֥י חַיֵּ֖ינוּ עַל־ בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה

יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh  [was  ready] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי  to  save  me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י  therefore  with  stringed  instruments 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: נְגִינָה  
Sense: music, song, taunt song.
נְנַגֵּ֛ן  we  will  sing  my  songs 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: נָגַן  
Sense: to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument.
יְמֵ֥י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חַיֵּ֖ינוּ  of  our  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
בֵּ֥ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָֽה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.