Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
English Standard Version (ESV)
Hezekiah describes his agonizing cries not with human words but with the raw, guttural sounds of distressed birds. This vivid imagery reveals that even in our deepest pain, when articulate prayer feels impossible, God hears the broken chirps and moans of our hearts. He isn't looking for eloquence, but for our honest, desperate turning towards Him, even when our eyes are weary from looking up.
Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
English Standard Version (ESV)
King Hezekiah is in the depths of a life-threatening illness, lamenting his suffering and weakness. He describes his cries of pain as the chirping of birds and his deeper sorrow as the mourning of a dove. His eyes are weary from constantly looking to God for help, feeling oppressed and near death, and he pleads for God to be his guarantor of life and safety.
Hezekiah uses the sounds of birds to describe his suffering. What do these specific bird sounds tell us about his pain?
Hezekiah compares his cries to the sounds of specific birds: a swallow, a crane, and a dove.
A Cacophony of Pain
Together, these sounds paint a picture of overwhelming suffering that is both outwardly expressed and inwardly felt.
Hezekiah's eyes are weary from looking up. What does this intense gaze reveal about his spiritual state?
Hezekiah declares, "My eyes are weary with looking upward." This isn't just about physical exhaustion; it's a powerful image of desperate hope.
The Gaze of Expectation
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Yet, even in his weariness, he hasn't stopped looking. This speaks volumes about his deep-seated faith, even when circumstances feel dire.
Hezekiah cries, "O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me!" What does he mean by asking God to 'undertake' for him?
The final cry, "O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me!" is a profound plea for divine intervention.
God as the Ultimate Surety
Hezekiah is asking God to be his guarantor of safety and life. He's saying, 'God, this situation is crushing me. Step into this crisis, guarantee my deliverance, and ensure I am rescued from the brink of death.' It's a bold request, trusting God not just to act, but to personally guarantee His intervention.
Understand the original words
marom · Hebrew Noun/Adverb
A posture of seeking divine help, prayer, and divine intervention, especially in times of distress, acknowledging God as the one who dwells in the heavens.
arab · Hebrew Verb
A legal and theological term for a guarantor or surety; one who provides security, protection, or payment on behalf of another, specifically used here to call upon God to intervene for the speaker's salvation.
This verse comes from the heart of King Hezekiah's prayer during a life-threatening illness, set against the terrifying backdrop of the Assyrian siege. His desperate cries, likened to the mournful sounds of birds, reveal a man utterly dependent on God for deliverance, not just from sickness, but from the oppression of his enemies.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian army under Sennacherib invades Judah, devastating the land and capturing many cities. Jerusalem is besieged, facing intense pressure and threat of destruction.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Illness and Isaiah's Prophecy
King Hezekiah falls gravely ill, and the prophet Isaiah delivers a message of impending death. Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and prays fervently for deliverance.
c. 701 BC
Divine Intervention and Assyrian Withdrawal
An unexplained plague or divine intervention causes a catastrophic loss of life within the Assyrian camp, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw his army from Jerusalem.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Recovery and Song of Thanksgiving
Hezekiah recovers from his illness and, in gratitude, composes a psalm of thanksgiving, recounting his distress, his prayer, and God's deliverance, which includes the words in Isaiah 38:10-20.
This Psalm expresses a similar weariness and physical suffering, with the psalmist's eyes failing from grief and tears, mirroring Hezekiah's profound distress and hope.
Psalm 119:82This verse speaks of eyes failing with longing for God's word and deliverance, a profound parallel to Hezekiah's desperate gaze upward for help.
Lamentations 2:11The prophet describes children and infants fainting in the streets, a vivid image of overwhelming oppression and weakness that resonates with Hezekiah's cries.
Job 17:3Job pleads for God to be his surety, a direct echo of Hezekiah's request to 'undertake for me,' highlighting the desperate need for divine intervention against overwhelming forces.
barnesIsaiah 38:14: "Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me."
Like a crane - The word used here (סוּס sûs) usually denotes a horse. The rabbis render it here 'a crane.' Gesenius translates it 'a swallow;' and in his Lexicon interprets the word which is translated 'a swallow' (עגוּר 'āgûr) to mean "circling," making gyrations; and the whole phrase, 'as the circling swallow.' The Syriac render…
cambridgeIsaiah 38:14: "Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me."
14 . Like a crane or a swallow ] Rather, as R.V., Like a swallow or a crane . Both words occur again only in Jeremiah 8:7 . The want of a copula in Heb., and the unsuitability of the verb “chirp” (E.V. “chatter”) to the note of the crane suggests that the latter may have been imported into the text from the passage in Jeremiah. It is w…
Hezekiah describes his agonizing cries not with human words but with the raw, guttural sounds of distressed birds. This vivid imagery reveals that even in our deepest pain, when articulate prayer feels impossible, God hears the broken chirps and moans of our hearts. He isn't looking for eloquence, but for our honest, desperate turning towards Him, even when our eyes are weary from looking up.
King Hezekiah is in the depths of a life-threatening illness, lamenting his suffering and weakness. He describes his cries of pain as the chirping of birds and his deeper sorrow as the mourning of a dove. His eyes are weary from constantly looking to God for help, feeling oppressed and near death, and he pleads for God to be his guarantor of life and safety.
King Hezekiah is in the depths of a life-threatening illness, lamenting his suffering and weakness. He describes his cries of pain as the chirping of birds and his deeper sorrow as the mourning of a dove. His eyes are weary from constantly looking to God for help, feeling oppressed and near death, and he pleads for God to be his guarantor of life and safety.
"Like a swallow or a crane I chirp; I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary with looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!" — Hezekiah describes his agonizing cries not with human words but with the raw, guttural sounds of distressed birds. This vivid imagery reveals that even in our deepest pain, when articulate prayer fee…
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Last reviewed October 2026