Isaiah 49

The Servant Speaks

1 Listen to Me, you coastlands. Pay attention, distant nations. The Lord called Me before I was born, He spoke My name while I was still in the womb.

2 He made My mouth like a sharp sword. He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow and stored Me in His quiver.

3 He said to Me, “You are My servant, Israel, in you I will show My glory.”

4 But I said, “I worked hard for nothing. I spent My strength for emptiness.” Yet what comes to Me is from the Lord, My reward is with My God.

Called to Restore Israel & Reach the Nations

5 Now the Lord who formed Me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, to gather Israel, says this: I am honored in the Lord’s sight, and God is My strength.

6 He said, “It is too small a thing for You to just restore the tribes of Jacob. I will make You a light to the nations, so My salvation reaches the ends of the earth.”

God Defends His Servant

7 This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, to the One who was despised, rejected by nations, and ruled over by kings: “Kings will stand up when they see You. Princes will bow down, because the Lord is faithful, the Holy One of Israel chose You.”

A Covenant for the People

8 This is what the Lord says: “In the time of favor, I answered You. In the day of salvation, I helped You. I will keep You and make You a covenant for the people, to restore the land and give back the inheritances that were lost.”

9 To the prisoners, You will say, “Come out!” To those in darkness, “Step into the light!” They will feed along the road and find pasture on every hill.

10 They will not hunger or thirst. The scorching heat will not beat them down. For the One who has compassion on them will lead them and guide them to flowing water.

11 I will turn all My mountains into roads, highways will be raised up.

12 Look, they are coming from far away. Some from the north, some from the west, some from the land of Sinim.

Creation Rejoices

13 Shout for joy, heavens! Rejoice, earth! Burst into singing, mountains! For the Lord comforts His people and shows compassion to the afflicted.

Zion Feels Forgotten, God Answers

14 But Zion said, “The Lord abandoned me. The Lord forgot about me.”

15 “Can a mother forget her baby, Ignore the child she carried, Even if she did, I will not forget you.”

16 “Look, I engraved you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are always in front of Me.”

Restoration Is Coming

17 Your children are rushing back, while your destroyers and wreckers are leaving you.

18 Lift your eyes and look, all of them are gathering to come home. As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “you will wear them all like jewels and put them on like a bride.”

19 Your land was ruined and desolate, now it will be too small for all the people returning. Those who destroyed you will disappear.

20 The children you thought were gone will say, “This place is too small, make room for us!”

21 You will wonder, “Who gave birth to all these, I lost everything, I was exiled and rejected. Where did all these people come from?”

God Gathers His People from Everywhere

22 This is what the Lord God says: “I will lift My hand to the nations, raise My banner to the peoples, they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.”

23 Kings will be your foster fathers, queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know I am the Lord, those who wait on Me will not be put to shame.

God Fights for His People

24 Can stolen captives be taken back, Can a tyrant’s prisoners be rescued,

25 But the Lord says: “Yes, the captives of the strong will be taken, and the prey of the tyrant will be rescued. I will fight the ones who fight you, and I will save your children.”

26 “I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, they will get drunk on their own blood. Then everyone will know I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”