421 " 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 . 2 "He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street . 3 "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish ; He will faithfully bring forth justice . 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 ."
5 Thus 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, 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 , 7 To open blind eyes , To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison e . 8 " I am the Lord , that is My name ; I will not give My glory to another , Nor My praise to graven images . 9 "Behold , the former things have come to pass , Now I declare new things ; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."
10 Sing 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. 11 Let 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 . 12 Let them give glory to the Lord And declare His praise in the coastlands .
13 The 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 ." 17 They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame , Who trust in idols , Who say to molten images , "You are our gods ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 42:1-17
Commentary on Isaiah 42:1-4
(Read Isaiah 42:1-4)
This prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, Matthew 12:17. Let our souls rely on him, and rejoice in him; then, for his sake, the Father will be well-pleased with us. The Holy Spirit not only came, but rested upon him, and without measure. He patiently bore the contradiction of sinners. His kingdom is spiritual; he was not to appear with earthly honours. He is tender of those oppressed with doubts and fears, as a bruised reed; those who are as smoking flax, as the wick of a lamp newly lighted, which is ready to go out again. He will not despise them, nor lay upon them more work or more suffering than they can bear. By a long course of miracles and his resurrection, he fully showed the truth of his holy religion. By the power of his gospel and grace he fixes principles in the minds of men, which tend to make them wise and just. The most distant nations wait for his law, wait for his gospel, and shall welcome it. If we would make our calling and election sure, and have the Father delight over us for good, we must behold, hear, believe in, and obey Christ.
Commentary on Isaiah 42:5-12
(Read Isaiah 42:5-12)
The work of redemption brings back man to the obedience he owes to God as his Maker. Christ is the light of the world. And by his grace he opens the understandings Satan has blinded, and sets at liberty from the bondage of sin. The Lord has supported his church. And now he makes new promises, which shall as certainly be fulfilled as the old ones were. When the Gentiles are brought into the church, he is glorified in them and by them. Let us give to God those things which are his, taking heed that we do not serve the creature more than the Creator.
Commentary on Isaiah 42:13-17
(Read Isaiah 42:13-17)
The Lord will appear in his power and glory. He shall cry, in the preaching of his word. He shall cry aloud in the gospel woes, which must be preached with gospel blessings, to awaken a sleeping world. He shall conquer by the power of his Spirit. And those that contradict and blaspheme his gospel, he shall put to silence and shame; and that which hinders its progress shall be taken out of the way. To those who by nature were blind, God will show the way to life and happiness by Jesus Christ. They are weak in knowledge, but He will make darkness light. They are weak in duty, but their way shall be plain. Those whom God brings into the right way, he will guide in it. This passage is a prophecy, and is also applicable to every believer; for the Lord will never leave nor forsake them.