1 a Sone after that the Assyrians were slayne: so that God wil haue the exercise of his children continual, that thei may learne only to depend vpon God & aspire to the heauens.
1 ! Hezehiah is sicke.
2 b For his heart was tourched with feare of Gods judgement, seing he had appointed him to dye, so quickely after his deliuerance from so great calamitie, as one vnworthie to remaine in the estate, & also foreseing the great change, that shulde come in the Church, for as much as he left no sonne to reigne after him: for as yet Manasseh was not borne: & when he reigned, we se what a tryant he was.
6 c He doeth not onely promise to prolong his life, but to giue him rest & quietnes from the Assyrians, who might haue renued their armie to reuenge their former discomfiture.
7 d For Hezekiah had asked for the confirmacion of his faith a signe, as {verse. 22} and {2 King 20,8}: whereunto he was moued by the singular mocion of Gods Spirit.
9 f He left this song of his lamentacion & thankesgiuing to all posteritie, as a monument of his owne infirmitie & thankeful heart for Gods benefites, as Dauid did, {Psa 51}.
10 g At what time it was tolde me, that I shulde dye.
11 h I shal no more praise the Lord here in his Temple among the faithful: thus God suffreth his dearest children to want his consolacion for a time, that his grace afterward may the more appeare when thei fele their owne weakenes.
12 k That is, in one day, or shortly.
13 l Ouer night I thoght that I shulde liue til morning, but my pangs in the night persuaded me the contrarie: he sheweth the horrour, that the faithful haue when they apprehend Gods judgement against their sinne.
14 m I was so opprest with sorowe, that I was not able to vtter my wordes, but onely to grone & sigh.
14 n To wit, sorow, and grief bothe of bodie and minde.
15 p I shal haue no release, but continual sorowes whiles I liue.
16 q They that shal ouerliue the men that are now aliue and all they that are in these yeres shal acknowledge this benefite.
16 r That after that thou hadest condemned me to death, thou restoredst me to life.
17 s Where as I thoght to haue liued in rest and ease, being deliuered from mine enemie, I had grief vpon grief.
17 t He estemeth more the remission of his sinnes, & Gods fauour then a thousand liues.
18 u For asmuche as God hathe placed man in this worlde to glorifie him, the godlie, take it as a signe of his wrath when their dayes were shortened, ether because that they semed vnworthie for their sinnes to liue longer in his seruice, or for their zeale to Gods glorie, seing that there is so fewe in earth, that do regarde it, as {Psal. 6,5}, and {115,17}.
19 x All posteritie shal acknowledge, and according to their duetie toward their children shal instruct them in thy graces, & mercies toward me.