Isaiah 42

The Lord's Chosen Servant

1 Behold my slave, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall give judgment unto the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets. 3 He shall not break a bruised reed, nor shall he quench the smoking flax; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not tire nor faint until he has set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.

5 Thus saith God the LORD, the Creator of the heavens and he that stretches them out; he that spreads forth the earth and that which comes out of it; he that gives breath unto the people upon it and spirit to those that walk therein: 6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness and will hold thee by thine hand; I will keep thee and place thee as my covenant unto the people as light unto the Gentiles 7 that thou might open the eyes of the blind, that thou might bring out the prisoners from the prison and those that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8 I am the LORD. This is my name, and my glory I will not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and I declare new things: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

Sing to the Lord a New Song

10 Sing unto the LORD 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 inhabits; let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout {Heb. command} from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory unto the LORD and declare his praise in the islands. 13 The LORD shall go forth as a giant; he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war; he shall cry out a battle cry; he shall prevail against his enemies.

14 I have long time held my peace; I have been still and refrained myself; now will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. 15 I will make waste mountains and hills and dry up all their grass, and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will cause them to walk in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned back; they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

Israel's Failure to Hear and See

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 19 Who is blind, but my slave? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the slave of the LORD, 20 who sees many things and does not warn; who opens his ears and does not hear. 21 The LORD, jealous for his righteousness, will magnify the law and enlarge it. 22 Therefore this people is robbed and spoiled; all of them shall be snared in holes and hid in prison houses; they shall be for a prey, and no one delivers; for a spoil, and no one saith, Restore. 23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will warn and consider regarding the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD? Because we sinned against him, and they did not desire to walk in his ways, neither did they hearken unto his law. 25 Therefore he has poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battle; he put fire round about him, yet he was careless; and it set him on fire, yet he did not lay it to heart.

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