SELECTED FROM ISAIAH. Exalt thy voice with strength, O thou that bringest glad tidings to Jerusalem : Say to the cities of Judah, BEHOLD YOUR GOD! Behold, the Lord Jehovah shall come, And his arm shall prevail over the strong one: In his arm shall He gather up the lambs, Behold my servant whom I will uphold; Nor cause his voice to be heard in the public places: The bruised reed He shall not break; The dimly-burning flax He shall not quench : But he shall publish judgment so as to establish it perfectly. His force shall not be broken nor abated, Until He hath firmly seated judgment in the earth : And the distant nations shall earnestly await His law. Thus saith the God, even JEHOVAH, I have called Thee for a righteous purpose; I will take hold of Thy hand and will preserve Thee; And I will give Thee for a covenant to the people, For a light to the nations, To open the eyes of the blind: To bring the captive out of confinement, And from the dungeon those that dwell in darkness. Thus saith Jehovah the King of Israel, And His Redeemer, Jehovah God of Hosts: I am the first and I am the last: And beside me there is no God. And who is like me that he should call forth this event, And make it known before hand, and dispose it for me, From the time that I appointed the people of the destined age? The things that are now coming And that are to come hereafter, Let them declare unto us. But, Fear ye not, neither be afraid : Have not I declared it unto you from the first? Return unto me; for I have redeemed Thee. Thus saith JEHOVAH, the Redeemer of Israel, Whom the nation holds in abhorrence; To the subject of rulers: Kings shall see Him, and shall rise up; Of the Holy One of Israel, for He hath chosen Thee. The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the learned, That I might know how to speak A seasonable word to the weary. I gave my back to the smiters, And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: SELECTED FROM ISAIAH. My face I hid not from shame and spitting. How beautiful appear upon the mountains Of the joyful messenger of good tidings! Of him that sayeth unto Sion, Thy God reigneth! Ivii All thy watchmen lift up their voice; they shout together: For Jehovah hath comforted his people; He hath redeemed Israel. And all the ends of the earth have seen Who hath believed our report, And to whom hath the arın of Jehovah been mani fested? For He groweth up in their sight like a tender plant, Like a root from a thirsty soil: He hath no form nor beauty, that we should regard Him; Nor is his countenance such that we should desire Him. Despised, nor accounted in the number of men ; Smitten of God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, The chastisement by which our peace is effected And by His bruises we are healed. We, all of us, like sheep, have strayed. We have turned aside, every one to his own way; It was exacted, and HE was made answerable; As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, is dumb, By an oppressive judgment He was taken off; He was smitten to death, And his grave was appointed with the wicked,* Although He had done no wrong, Neither was there any guile in his mouth, Yet it pleased JEHOVAH to crush Him with affliction. Shall prosper in his hands. * The word translated "the wicked," is in the dual number in the original, so that the strict signification, is "his death shall be with two criminals, but he shall be buried in the tomb of a rich man;," this was literally fulfilled by his crucifixion between the two thieves, and his burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. SELECTED FROM ISAIAH. Of the travail of his soul He shall see the fruit, and be satisfied: lix By the knowledge of Him shall my servant justify many, For the punishment of their iniquities He shall bear. Therefore will I distribute to Him the many for his portion, And the mighty people shall he share for his spoil; And made intercession for the transgressors. Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters! Incline your ear, and come unto Me; Hearken diligently unto me; Attend, and your soul shall live : And I will make with you an everlasting covenant: I will give you the gracious promises made to David, which shall never fail. Behold, for a witness to the peoples I have given HIM; A leader and a lawgiver to the nations. And thy REDEEMER is the Holy One of Israel, The Redeemer shall come to Sion, And shall turn away iniquity from Jacob. |