Servant of the LORD!

Isaiah 49

New International Version (NIV)

The Servant of the LORD

 ¹ Listen to me, you islands; 
   hear this, you distant nations: 
Before I was born the LORD called me; 
   from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. 
² He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, 
   in the shadow of his hand he hid me; 
he made me into a polished arrow 
   and concealed me in his quiver. 
³ He said to me, “You are my servant, 
   Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” 
⁴ But I said, “I have labored in vain; 
   I have spent my strength for nothing at all. 
Yet what is due 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 servant
to bring Jacob back to him
   and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
   and my God has been my strength—
⁶ he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
   to restore the tribes of Jacob
   and 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.”