The conditions of mortality are fleeting, and every moment of temporary success, while experienced, ultimately fades. When adversity strikes, the memories of past comforts offer no solace. Epicurus's assertion that recalling past blessings lessens present trials is, therefore, folly. Hezekiah expressed similar sentiments, pondering the entirety of his reign in light of his current tribulations and reflecting on the blessings he had previously enjoyed. Now that he resides in security and is removed from the trials he once faced, he contemplated the human condition, declaring, Lord, if this defines our existence, and if this is the state into which we are born, You have chastised me but have also revived me, granting me peace following the Assyrian's retreat; yet, this peace has weighed heavily upon me, even more than sorrow, for as the people found calm and the city was at rest, I alone found myself at the brink of death. But You have saved my soul from the clutches of destruction, both in this life and in the one to come. For You have placed my sins upon Your own back, so that I may look not with despair upon them, but may instead gaze upon Your mercy. For neither hell nor death can acknowledge or glorify You, as it is written: "In death there is no remembrance of Thee: in the grave who shall praise Thee?" (Psalm 6:6). Here, confession refers not to repentance but rather to the act of glorification, as noted in the Gospel: "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25). Those who descend into the pit do not trust in Your truth, as rendered more poignantly in the LXX: "On mercy." For one who resides in hell does not place hope in the certainty of judgment but rather in the mercy of God, especially since the Savior ventured into hell to liberate captives from its grasp. In this interpretation, the LXX clarifies the reference to hell in place of the grave. The living, the living shall acknowledge You, as I do now. Here, the term confession is synonymous with praise. This does not involve acknowledging personal failings but rather expressing gratitude to God; praise does not flow from the lips of a sinner (Sir 15:9). Whereas hell and death cannot glorify God, the living, in contrast, exalt the Lord. The statement, "The father shall declare Your truth to the children," recalls the admonition in Deuteronomy: "Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders will tell you" (Deuteronomy 32:7), emphasizing that God’s grace should be passed down through generations. The LXX paraphrases it, stating, "For from hereforth, I will raise sons who shall proclaim Your righteousness." The conjunction connects the actions of the living, suggesting that the living would bless God, and thereby, from that point forward, he would raise children to proclaim His truth. This power was not his alone, as the Prophet had not promised him sons; the emphasis was rather on the present life, particularly since he fathered Manasseh, a son whose wickedness stained Jerusalem and blasphemed God, persecuting His saints. Thus, according to the LXX, we might interpret that he declared he would not beget sons, but παιδία, indicating either children, youths, or descendants, so that in receiving mercy, all his future offspring might acknowledge and praise Your boundless grace. Therefore, save me, O Lord, and all of us who place our faith in You and have been rescued through Your aid shall offer our praises to You in the temple throughout all the days of our lives.
THEOSIS