The Lord's Servant
1 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 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 I chose you to bring justice,
and I am here at your side.
I selected you and sent you
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 mountains
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.
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.
1 Behold, my seruaunt: I will stay vpon him: mine elect, in whom my soule deliteth: I haue put my Spirit vpon him: he shall bring forth iudgement to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not crie, nor lift vp, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streete. 3 A bruised reede shall hee not breake, and the smoking flaxe shall he not quench: he shall bring foorth iudgement in trueth. 4 He shall not faile nor be discouraged till he haue set iudgement in the earth: and the yles shall waite for his lawe. 5 Thus sayeth God the Lord (he that created the heauens and spred them abroad: he that stretched foorth the earth, and the buddes thereof: he that giueth breath vnto the people vpon it, and spirit to them that walke therein) 6 I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnesse, and will hold thine hand, and I will keepe thee, and giue thee for a couenant of the people, and for a light of the Gentiles, 7 That thou maist open the eyes of the blind, and bring out the prisoners from the prison: and them that sitte in darkenesse, out of the prison house. 8 I am the Lord, this is my Name, and my glory wil I not giue to another, neither my praise to grauen images. 9 Beholde, the former thinges are come to passe, and newe things doe I declare: before they come foorth, I tell you of them. 10 Sing vnto the Lord a newe song, and his praise from the ende of the earth: yee that goe downe to the sea, and all that is therein: the yles and the inhabitants thereof. 11 Let the wildernesse and the cities thereof lift vp their voyce, the townes that Kedar doeth inhabite: let the inhabitants of the rocks sing: let them shoute from the toppe of the mountaines. 12 Let them giue glorie vnto the Lord, and declare his praise in the ylands. 13 The Lord shall go forth as a gyant: he shall stirre vp his courage like a man of warre: he shall shout and crie, and shall preuaile against his enemies. 14 I haue a long time holden my peace: I haue beene still and refrained my selfe: nowe will I crie like a trauailing woman: I will destroy and deuoure at once. 15 I will make waste mountaines, and hilles, and drie vp all their herbes, and I will make the floods ylands, and I will drie vp the pooles. 16 And I will bring the blinde by a way, that they knewe not, and lead them by paths that they haue not knowen: I will make darkenesse light before them, and crooked thinges straight. These thinges will I doe vnto them, and not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned backe: they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in grauen images, and say to the molten images, Yee are our gods. 18 Heare, ye deafe: and ye blinde, regarde, that ye may see. 19 Who is blinde but my seruaunt? or deafe as my messenger, that I sent? who is blind as the perfit, and blinde as the Lordes seruant? 20 Seeing many things, but thou keepest them not? opening the eares, but he heareth not? 21 The Lord is willing for his righteousnesse sake that he may magnifie the Lawe, and exalt it. 22 But this people is robbed and spoiled, and shalbe all snared in dungeons, and they shalbe hid in prison houses: they shall be for a pray, and none shall deliuer: a spoile, and none shall say, Restore. 23 Who among you shall hearken to this, and take heede, and heare for afterwardes? 24 Who gaue Iaakob for a spoyle, and Israel to the robbers? Did not ye Lord, because we haue sinned against him? for they woulde not walke in his waies, neither be obedient vnto his Lawe. 25 Therefore hee hath powred vpon him his fierce wrath, and the strength of battell: and it set him on fire round about, and he knewe not, and it burned him vp, yet he considered not.