Isaiah 42

1 Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.2 He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.3 A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth.4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.5 Thus saith God Jehovah, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:6 I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;7 to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.8 I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.10 Sing unto Jehovah a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.12 Let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare his praise in the islands.13 Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man; he will stir up his zeal like a man of war: he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud; he will do mightily against his enemies.14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant together.15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; in paths that they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things will I do, and I will not forsake them.17 They shall be turned back, they shall be utterly put to shame, that trust in graven images, that say unto molten images, Ye are our gods.18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I send? who is blind as he that is at peace with me, and blind as Jehovah’s servant?20 Thou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not.21 It pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.22 But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.23 Who is there among you that will give ear to this? that will hearken and hear for the time to come?24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not Jehovah? he against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient unto his law.25 Therefore he poured upon him the fierceness of his anger, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

ISAIAH 42

The [Lord]'s Servant

1  t t Here is my servant!
I have made him strong.
He is my chosen one;
I am pleased with him.
I have given him my Spirit,
and he will bring justice
to the nations.

2 He won't shout or yell
or call out in the streets.

3 He won't break off a bent reed
or put out a dying flame,
but he will make sure
that justice is done.

4 He won't quit or give up
until he brings justice
everywhere on earth,
and people in foreign nations
long for his teaching.

5  t I am the [Lord] God.
I created the heavens
like an open tent above.
I made the earth and everything
that grows on it.
I am the source of life
for all who live on this earth,
so listen to what I say.

6  t I chose you to bring justice,
and I am here at your side.
I selected you and sent yout
to bring light
and my promise of hope
to the nations.

7 You will give sight
to the blind;
you will set prisoners free
from dark dungeons.

8 My name is the [Lord]!
I won't let idols or humans
share my glory and praise.

9 Everything has happened
just as I said it would;
now I will announce
what will happen next.

Sing Praises to the [Lord]

10 Tell the whole world to sing
a new song to the [Lord]!
Tell those who sail the ocean
and those who live far away
to join in the praise.

11 Tell the tribes of the desert
and everyone in the mountainst
to celebrate and sing.

12 Let them announce
his praises everywhere.

13 The [Lord] is marching out
like an angry soldier,
shouting with all his might
while attacking his enemies.

The [Lord] Will Help //His People

14 For a long time, I, the [Lord],
have held my temper;
now I will cry out and groan
like a woman giving birth.

15 I will destroy the mountains
and what grows on them;
I will dry up rivers and ponds.

16 I will lead the blind on roads
they have never known;
I will guide them on paths
they have never traveled.
Their road is dark and rough,
but I will give light
to keep them from stumbling.
This is my solemn promise.

17 Everyone who worships idols
as though they were gods
will be terribly ashamed.

God's People Won't Obey

18 You people are deaf and blind,
but the [Lord] commands you
to listen and to see.

19 No one is as blind or deaf
as his messenger,
his chosen servant,

20 who sees and hears so much,
but pays no attention.

21 The [Lord] always does right,
and so he wanted his Law
to be greatly praised.t

22 But his people were trapped
and imprisoned in holes
with no one to rescue them.
All they owned had been taken,
and no one was willing
to give it back.

23 Why won't his people
ever learn to listen?

24 Israel sinned and refused
to obey the [Lord]
or follow his instructions.
So the [Lord] let us be robbed
of everything we owned.

25 He was furious with us
and punished our nation
with the fires of war.
Still we paid no attention.
We didn't even care
when we were surrounded
and scorched by flames.