1 “ Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.

“See! My servant, My chosen one! My much Loved, in Whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit on Him. He will say to the nations what is right from wrong.

2 “ He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street.

He will not cry out or speak with a loud voice. His voice will not be heard in the streets.

3 “ A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not break a broken branch or put out a little fire. He will be faithful to make everything fair.

4 “ He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”

He will not lose hope or be crushed, until He has made things right on the earth. And the islands will wait with hope in His Law.”

5 T hus says God the Lord, 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 spirit to those who walk in it,

This is what God the Lord Who made the heavens and spread them out and Who spread out the earth and what comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk in it, says,

6 “ I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations,

“I am the Lord. I have called you to be right and good. I will hold you by the hand and watch over you. And I will give you as an agreement to the people, as a light to the nations.

7 T o open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.

You will open blind eyes. You will bring people out of prison, out of the prison where they live in darkness.

8 “ I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.

I am the Lord. That is My name. I will not give My shining-greatness to another, or My praise to false gods.

9 “ Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

See, the things told about in the past have happened. Now I speak about new things. Before they happen I will tell you about them.” A Song of Praise to the Lord

10 S ing to the Lord a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth! You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it. You islands, and those who dwell on them.

Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing His praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands and those who live on them.

11 L et the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices, The settlements where Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud, Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.

Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the towns where Kedar lives. Let the people of Sela sing. Let them call out for joy from the tops of the mountains.

12 L et them give glory to the Lord And declare His praise in the coastlands.

Let them give honor to the Lord, and praise Him in the islands.

13 T he Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies. The Blindness of the People

The Lord will go out like a powerful soldier. He will be ready like a man of war. He will call out, yes, He will call out a war cry. He will be strong against those who hate Him. God Promises to Help His People

14 “ I have kept silent for a long time, I have kept still and restrained Myself. Now like a woman in labor I will groan, I will both gasp and pant.

“I have been quiet for a long time. I have been quiet and have held Myself back. Now I will cry out like a woman giving birth. I will breathe hard and fast.

15 “ I will lay waste the mountains and hills And wither all their vegetation; I will make the rivers into coastlands And dry up the ponds.

I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their plants. I will make the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools.

16 “ I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them And rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.”

I will lead the blind by a way that they do not know. I will lead them in paths they do not know. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. And I will make the bad places smooth. These are the things I will do and I will not leave them.”

17 T hey will be turned back and be utterly put to shame, Who trust in idols, Who say to molten images, “You are our gods.”

They will be turned back and be put to shame who trust in false gods, who say to these objects of worship, “You are our gods.” Israel Is Blind and Cannot Hear

18 H ear, you deaf! And look, you blind, that you may see.

Listen, you who do not hear! And look, you blind, that you may see.

19 W ho is blind but My servant, Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the Lord ?

Who is blind but My servant? Who does not hear, as the one whom I send with news? Who is so blind as he who is at peace with Me, or so blind as the servant of the Lord?

20 Y ou have seen many things, but you do not observe them; Your ears are open, but none hears.

You see many things, but you cannot tell what you see. Your ears are open, but you do not hear.

21 T he Lord was pleased for His righteousness’ sake To make the law great and glorious.

Because He is right and good, the Lord was pleased to make the Law great and give it honor.

22 B ut this is a people plundered and despoiled; All of them are trapped in caves, Or are hidden away in prisons; They have become a prey with none to deliver them, And a spoil, with none to say, “Give them back!”

But this is a people robbed of what they owned. All of them are trapped in deep holes, or hidden in prisons. They have been robbed of what they have, with no one to help them. They have been taken away, with no one to say, “Give them back!”

23 W ho among you will give ear to this? Who will give heed and listen hereafter?

Who among you will hear this? Who will listen and hear in the future?

24 W ho gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey?

Who let Jacob be taken? Who gave Israel to robbers? Was it not the Lord, Whom we have sinned against, in Whose ways we were not willing to walk, and Whose Law we did not obey?

25 S o He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention.

So He poured out upon Israel the heat of His anger and the power of battle. It set him on fire all around. Yet he did not understand. It burned him, but he did not think about it.