Isaiah 42

1 "Look, my servant I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

2 He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets.

3 He won't break a bruised reed. And he won't extinguish a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.

A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

4 He will not grow dim or be crushed, until he has established justice on the earth, and in his name the coastlands will hope."

He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”

5 Thus says God, the LORD, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it.

This is what God the LORD says— He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life to those who walk in it:

6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations;

“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,

7 to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.

to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.

8 "I am the LORD. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images.

I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.

9 Look, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up."

Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and his praise from the remotest parts of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, the islands and their inhabitants.

Sing to the LORD a new song— His praise from the ends of the earth— you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who dwell in them.

11 Let the desert and its cities cry out, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Let the desert and its cities raise their voices; let the villages of Kedar cry aloud. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them cry out from the mountaintops.

12 Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

Let them give glory to the LORD and declare His praise in the islands.

13 The LORD will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:

14 "I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

“I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.

15 I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation. I will turn the rivers into dry land and drain the marshes.

16 I will bring the blind by a way that they do not know. I will lead them in paths that they do not know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.

17 "Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, 'You are our gods' will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.

But those who trust in idols and say to molten images, ‘You are our gods!’ will be turned back in utter shame.

18 "Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.

Listen, you deaf ones; look, you blind ones, that you may see!

19 Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as the LORD's servant?

Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD?

20 You see many things, but do not observe. His ears are open, but he doesn't listen.

Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”

21 It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.

22 But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become a prey, and no one delivers; and a spoil, and no one says, 'Restore them.'

But this is a people plundered and looted, all trapped in caves or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them, and loot with no one to say, “Send them back!”

23 Who is there among you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?

Who among you will pay attention to this? Who will listen and obey hereafter?

24 Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they disobeyed his law.

Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? They were unwilling to walk in His ways, and they would not obey His law.

25 Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire all around, but he did not know; and it burned him, but he did not take it to heart."

So He poured out on them His furious anger and the fierceness of battle. It enveloped them in flames, but they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.