2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me into a polished arrowand concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, ‘You are my servant,Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’
4 But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain;I have spent my strength for nothing at all.Yet what is due to 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 servantto bring Jacob back to himand gather Israel to himself,for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lordand my God has been my strength –
6 he says:‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servantto restore the tribes of Jacoband bring back those of Israel I have kept.I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,that my salvation may reach 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 stand 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 favour I will answer you,and in the day of salvation I will help you;I will keep you and will make youto be a covenant for the people,to restore the landand to reassign its desolate inheritances,