Jesaja 38:18

18 Want het graf zal U niet loven, de dood zal U niet prijzen; die in den kuil nederdalen, zullen op Uw waarheid niet hopen.

Jesaja 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.

Jesaja 38:18 In-Context

16 Heere, bij deze dingen leeft men, en in dit alles is het leven van mijn geest; want Gij hebt mij gezond gemaakt en mij genezen.

17 Zie, in vrede is mij de bitterheid bitter geweest; maar Gij hebt mijn ziel liefelijk omhelsd, dat zij in de groeve der vertering niet kwame; want Gij hebt al mijn zonden achter Uw rug geworpen.

18 Want het graf zal U niet loven, de dood zal U niet prijzen; die in den kuil nederdalen, zullen op Uw waarheid niet hopen.

19 De levende, de levende, die zal U loven, gelijk ik heden doe; de vader zal den kinderen Uw waarheid bekend maken.

20 De HEERE was gereed om mij te verlossen; daarom zullen wij op mijn snarenspel spelen; al de dagen onzes levens, in het huis des HEEREN.