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 1
Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I
was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my
name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of
his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed
me in his quiver. 3 He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in
whom I will display my splendor." 4 But I said, "I have labored to
no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet
what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God."
5 And now the Lord says-- he who formed me in the womb to be his
servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for
I am honored in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my
strength-- 6 he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my
servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of
Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
7 This is what the Lord says-- the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel--
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant
of rulers: "Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow
down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel,
who has chosen you." 8 This is what the Lord says: "In the time of
my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help
you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the
people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate
inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in
darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find
pasture on every barren hill. 10 They will neither hunger nor
thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who
has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs
of water.
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11 I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways
will be raised up. 12 See, they will come from afar-- some from the
north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan."
13 Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O
mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion
on his afflicted ones. 14 But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her
breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she
may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on
the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
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