Hezekiah’s Prayer for Healing

King Hezekiah’s prayer for healing is a scripture that can help you pray for healing for yourself.

Hezekiah’s Terminal Diagnosis

Isaiah 38:1 says, “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death.  The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.'”  (NIV)

Hezekiah’s Prayer

The Bible tells us that Hezekiah “turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before  you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’  And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” (Isaiah 38:2 NIV)

God’s Answer to the Prayer

Isaiah had already left Hezekiah but God suddenly spoke to him, telling him to return and tell Hezekiah the following, “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I wil add fiteen years to your life.  And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the kings of Assyria.  I will defend this city.”  (Isaiah 38:4-6 NIV)

A Sign from God

Not only did Isaiah deliver this amazing message that Hezekiah would be healed, but God also offered him a remarkable sign which defied all laws of nature.  The sun’s shadow actually went backwards!  The Bible says, “‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what has promised.  I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’  So the sunlight went back the ten steps i had gone down.”  (Isaiah 38:7,8 NIV)

Hezekiah’s Praise to God before His Healing

Apparently Hezekiah praised God before he had recovered his health.  It is only after this litany of praise and thanksgiving to God Isaiah tells them to “Prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”  (Isaiah 38:21 NIV

Here is Hezekiah’s praise:

I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove,  My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens.  I am troubled: O Lord, come to my aid!

But what can I say?  He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.  I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul.  Lord, by such things men live; and my spirit finds life in them too.  You restored me to health and let me live.  Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.  In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.  For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.  The living, the living – they  praise you as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness.

The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the day s of our lives in the temple of the Lord. (Isaiah 38:14-20 NIV)