Isaiah 38-39 sonnet

Oh woe is me; I'm at the point of death.
Isaiah's here; he says to sort my things.
I will not heal; there is not much time left.
It's heavy news for mighty Zion's king.

I'll pray Yahweh relieves this time of strife.
Isaiah's back with news from my appeal:
For fifteen years I will be spared my life.
The sun goes back ten steps to show the deal.

When I fell ill I was in quite the slump.
I knew my days were numbered in this world.
Isaiah came with figs to heal my bump.
I will be saved, play music to the LORD.

Hey look, the prince has blessed my newfound health!
I'll give a tour and show off all the wealth.

Isaiah 36-37 sonnet

King Hezekiah rules for fourteen years,
But then Assyria invades the land!
Jerusalem remains; the army nears.
Rabshakeh comes – Sennacherib’s right hand.

He speaks Hebrew to all the people there
And taunts them, says, “You soon will be undone!
If you make peace with us we will be fair
But if you fight the LORD cannot save one!”

Upon this news the king does mourn and pray.
Meanwhile Sennacherib stirs war in Cush.
Isaiah brings an oracle in days -
Yahweh has pledged Assyria to crush!

The army’s slain – an angel of the LORD.
Sennacherib’s sons kill him with the sword.

Isaiah 38

Sanctify! previewed Isaiah 36-39 on Tuesday night.

Given my recent health issues, Hezekiah's prayer in chapter 38 is particularly timely:

⁹A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

¹⁰I said, In the middle of my days
   I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
   for the rest of my years.
¹¹I said, I shall not see the LORD,
   the LORD in the land of the living;
I shall look on man no more
   among the inhabitants of the world.
¹²My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
   like a shepherd’s tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
   he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;
   ¹³I calmed myself until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
   from day to night you bring me to an end.

¹⁴Like a swallow or a crane I chirp;
   I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
   O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
¹⁵What shall I say? For he has spoken to me,
   and he himself has done it.
I walk slowly all my years
   because of the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶O Lord, by these things men live,
   and in all these is the life of my spirit.
   Oh restore me to health and make me live!
¹⁷Behold, it was for my welfare
   that I had great bitterness;
but in love you have delivered my life
   from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
   behind your back.
¹⁸For Sheol does not thank you;
   death does not praise you;
those who go down to the pit do not hope
   for your faithfulness.
¹⁹The living, the living, he thanks you,
   as I do this day;
the father makes known to the children
   your faithfulness.

²⁰The LORD will save me,
   and we will play my music on stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
   at the house of the LORD. [ESV]