Isaiah 38:18

18 No one in the world of the dead can praise you; ¹ The dead cannot trust in your faithfulness.

Isaiah 38:18 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 38:18

For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate
thee
That is, they that are in the grave, and under the power of death, they cannot celebrate the praises of God with their bodily organs; their souls may praise him in heaven, but they in their bodies cannot till the resurrection morn, or as long as they are under the dominion of the grave; so the Targum,

``they that are in the grave cannot confess before thee, and the dead cannot praise thee;''

in like manner the Septuagint and Arabic versions: this shows the design of God in restoring him from his sickness, and the view he himself had in desiring life, which was to praise the Lord; and which end could not have been answered had he died, and been laid in the grave: they that go down to the pit cannot hope for thy truth:
for the performance of promises, in which the truth and faithfulness of God appear; or for the Messiah, the truth of all the types of the former dispensation; those that go down to the pit of the grave, or are carried and laid there, can have no exercise of faith and hope concerning these things.

Isaiah 38:18 In-Context

16 Lord, I will live for you, for you alone; Heal me and let me live.

17 My bitterness will turn into peace. You save my life from all danger; You forgive all my sins.

18 No one in the world of the dead can praise you; The dead cannot trust in your faithfulness.

19 It is the living who praise you, As I praise you now. Parents tell their children how faithful you are.

20 Lord, you have healed me. We will play harps and sing your praise, Sing praise in your Temple as long as we live.

Cross References

• 1. +238.18Ben Sira 17.27;Baruch 2.17.