The Servant of the Lord

49 Listens to me, you islands;t

hear this, you distant nations:

Before I was bornu the Lord calledv me;

from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.w

2 He made my mouthx like a sharpened sword,y

in the shadow of his handz he hid me;

he made me into a polished arrowa

and concealed me in his quiver.

3 He said to me, “You are my servant,b

Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.c”

4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;d

I have spent my strength for nothing at all.

Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,e

and my rewardf is with my God.”g

5 And now the Lord says—

he who formed me in the wombh to be his servant

to bring Jacob back to him

and gather Israeli to himself,

for I ama honoredj in the eyes of the Lord

and my God has been my strengthk—

6 he says:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servantl

to restore the tribes of Jacob

and bring back those of Israel I have kept.m

I will also make you a lightn for the Gentiles,o

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”p

7 This is what the Lord says—

the Redeemer and Holy One of Israelq—

to him who was despisedr and abhorred by the nation,

to the servant of rulers:

“Kingss will see you and stand up,

princes will see and bow down,t

because of the Lord, who is faithful,u

the Holy One of Israel, who has chosenv you.”

Restoration of Israel

8 This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favorw I will answer you,

and in the day of salvation I will help you;x

I will keepy you and will make you

to be a covenant for the people,z

to restore the landa

and to reassign its desolate inheritances,b