The Lord's Chosen Servant
(Matthew 12:15-21)
1Behold my servant,whom I uphold;mine elect,[in whom] my souldelighteth;I have putmy spiritupon him: he shall bring forthjudgmentto the Gentiles.
2He shall not cry,nor lift up,nor cause his voiceto be heardin the street.
3A bruisedreedshall he not break,and the smokingflaxshall he not quench:he shall bring forthjudgmentunto truth.
4He shall not failnor be discouraged,till he have setjudgmentin the earth:and the islesshall waitfor his law.
5Thus saithGodthe LORD,he that createdthe heavens,and stretched them out;he that spread forththe earth,and that which cometh outof it; he that givethbreathunto the peopleupon it, and spiritto them that walktherein:
6I the LORDhave calledthee in righteousness,and will holdthine hand,and will keepthee, and givethee for a covenantof the people,for a lightof the Gentiles;
7To openthe blindeyes,to bring outthe prisonersfrom the prison,[and] them that sitin darknessout of the prisonhouse.
8I [am] the LORD:that [is] my name:and my glorywill I not giveto another,neither my praiseto graven images.
9Behold, the former thingsare come to pass,and new thingsdo I declare:before they spring forthI tellyou of them.
A New Song of Praise
(Psalm 98:1-9;Psalm 149:1-9)
10Singunto the LORDa newsong,[and] his praisefrom the endof the earth,ye that go downto the sea,and all that is therein;the isles,and the inhabitantsthereof.
11Let the wildernessand the citiesthereof lift up[their voice], the villages[that] Kedardoth inhabit:let the inhabitantsof the rocksing,let them shoutfrom the topof the mountains.
12Let them givegloryunto the LORD,and declarehis praisein the islands.
13The LORDshall go forthas a mighty man,he shall stir upjealousylike a manof war:he shall cry,yea, roar;he shall prevailagainst his enemies.
14I have long timeholden my peace;I have been still,[and] refrainedmyself: [now] will I crylike a travailing woman;I will destroy{08676;08074:08799} and devourat once.
15I will make wastemountainsand hills,and dry upall their herbs;and I will makethe riversislands,and I will dry upthe pools.
16And I will bringthe blindby a way[that] they knewnot; I will leadthem in paths[that] they have not known:I will makedarknesslightbeforethem, and crooked thingsstraight.These thingswill I dounto them, and not forsakethem.
17They shall be turnedback,they shall be greatlyashamed,that trustin graven images,that sayto the molten images,Ye [are] our gods.
Israel is Deaf and Blind
18Hear,ye deaf;and look,ye blind,that ye may see.
19Who [is] blind,but my servant?or deaf,as my messenger[that] I sent?who [is] blindas [he that is] perfect,and blindas the LORD'Sservant?
20Seeing{08675;07200:08804} many things,but thou observestnot; openingthe ears,but he hearethnot.
21The LORDis well pleasedfor his righteousness'sake; he will magnifythe law,and make [it] honourable.
22But this [is] a peoplerobbedand spoiled;[they are] all of them snaredin holes,and they are hidin prisonhouses:they are for a prey,and none delivereth;for a spoil,and none saith,Restore.
23Who among you will give earto this? [who] will hearkenand hearfor the time to come?
24Who gaveJacobfor a spoil,and Israelto the robbers?did not the LORD,he against whomwe have sinned?for they wouldnot walkin his ways,neither were they obedientunto his law.
25Therefore he hath pouredupon him the furyof his anger,and the strengthof battle:and it hath set him on fireround about,yet he knewnot; and it burnedhim, yet he laid[it] not to heart.
