Isaiah 37:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Sovereign of the heavenly hosts, God of Israel, the powers above, including angels and archangels, bow to You. The taunts of my adversaries have not swayed me; their blasphemies do not lead me to believe that Your assistance is ineffective. Although the splendor of Your compassion may sometimes seem diminished, I acknowledge Your immense strength, prevailing not only on earth but also in the heavens. Indeed, God is omnipotent, yet you are unworthy of redemption. Therefore, He adds: God of Israel. I possess all power, for I am the Sovereign of the heavenly hosts, the source of strength. You are willing and find joy in it, for You are the Lord of Israel who reigns upon the Cherubim. You are the one true God over all the nations of the earth.

Due to his deep reverence for God, Hezekiah opens the sacred text, not because God is unaware of Sennacherib's pride, but rather to express his anguish over the barbarian's reckless audacity, appealing to God, the Sovereign of all creation, as a witness to such brash words. Observe the extent of his humility in stark contrast to Sennacherib’s proclamations. The latter has gone so far as to challenge the glory of God, declaring, "Let not thy God deceive thee, in whom thou trustest," suggesting that Jerusalem shall not escape the grip of the Assyrian king.

In response to the blasphemies of King Sennacherib, Hezekiah armed himself with his customary means of defense. He returned to the temple and laid open his letters before the Lord. Previously, he had remained silent, unable to voice his concerns within the temple due to a profound reverence for God, which stifled his prayers. However, after hearing Isaiah's reassurance, "Fear not the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria reviled me" (1 Kings 19:6), he boldly approached the Lord in prayer, declaring that the Lord is the one true living God, contrasting Him with the lifeless idols that represent the dead.