When distress arrives, the troubles of the past provide no aid to the afflicted. Thus, the philosophy of Epicurus is misguided, for he claims that recalling past blessings alleviates present hardships. Similarly, Hezekiah reflected on the entirety of his reign during his distress, recalling the good he had received in the past, and, secure now, he pondered the human experience. He said, If this is how we live and in what state we are born, You have chastised me but also revitalized me, and after the Assyrian's retreat, You granted me peace. Yet this peace was more burdensome than any sorrow because, while the people were restored to calm and the city was at rest, I alone ventured into the realm of death. But You have redeemed my spirit so that it may not perish, in this life or the life to come. You have cast all my transgressions upon Your shoulders, so that I might not despair over them but rather look to Your mercy. For it is written that in hell, who will confess You? (Psalm 6:6) Here, confession refers not to repentance but to praise, as seen in the Gospel: "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25). The passage declares that those who descend to the grave do not trust in Your truth, but in mercy. The one in hell does not rely on judgment’s truth, but rather on God's mercy, especially considering the Savior's descent into hell to free those imprisoned there. The LXX clarifies by using “hell” in place of “grave.”
The living, indeed, will acknowledge You as I do now. In this case, confession is equated with praise, as one who confesses does not focus on his iniquities but offers gratitude to God; after all, praise does not emerge from the lips of a sinner (Sirach 15:9). While hell and death do not glorify God, the living, in contrast, honor the Lord. The statement that "a father will proclaim Your truth to the children" reflects what is noted in Deuteronomy: "Ask your father, and he will inform you; your elders, and they will tell you" (Deuteronomy 32:7), so that God’s grace may be communicated through generations. Instead, the LXX states: “For henceforth I will generate children who will proclaim Your righteousness.” This causative connection associates the proclamation of praise with the living, affirming that as long as he lives, he will bless God. While he couldn't promise sons, he focused on the present life, particularly since his most wicked son, Manasseh, filled Jerusalem with blood and did not worship but blasphemed God, persecuting His saints. Thus, according to the LXX, we can consider his declaration as intending not to beget sons, but rather "children," encompassing the meaning of youths or descendants, so that, having received mercy, all future generations might recognize it and praise His abundant mercy. Therefore, save me, O Lord, and all of us who place our faith in You and have been rescued through Your grace shall sing Your praises in the temple throughout all our days.
THEOSIS