You have seen much without observing, Jehovah was pleased for his righteousness' sake And hidden in prison houses, They are preyed upon, with none to rescue, And now Jehovah declares, He who created and formed you, O Jacob, I have called you by name, and you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, Through the rivers, they shall not overflow you; When you go through the fire, you shall not be burned, Neither shall the flame scorch you. The Holy One, your deliverer; I have given Egypt as your ransom, I will give men in exchange for you, 'Fear not, for I am with you, From the East I will bring your offspring, And from the West I will gather you; And my daughters from the end of the earth, Whom for my glory I have created and formed.' 219. RESPONSIBILITY OF GOD'S PEOPLE TO BE 'You are my witnesses,' Jehovah declares, 'I, even I, am Jehovah, And besides me there is no deliverer. And there is none who can snatch from my hand; 'Fear not, my servant Jacob, My upright one, whom I have chosen. I will pour out my spirit on your children, So that they shall spring up as grass, 1 "Truth has gone forth from my mouth, "I have righteousness and strength.' 220. THE World-Wide MISSION OF Jehovah's SERVANT Hearken to me, O coastlands, And listen, distant peoples. Jehovah has called me from the womb, In his quiver he concealed me, And he said, 'You are Israel, my servant, But I said, 'I have labored in vain, My reward is with my God.' And now Jehovah declares (He who formed me from birth to be his servant, To bring Jacob back to himself, That Israel might be gathered to him; For I was honored in his sight, And my God became my strength): 'It is too little a thing to be my servant, To raise up the tribes of Jacob, To restore the survivors of Israel; So I make you a light to the nations, That my salvation may reach to earth's ends. This is the message of Jehovah, To the one abhorred by the people, To him who is servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise, Princes and they shall do homage, Because of Jehovah the faithful, Israel's Holy One who has chosen you. 'At an acceptable time I will respond to you, On a day of deliverance help you, Give you as a pledge to the people, To allot the desolate heritages, To those in darkness, "Show yourselves!" "They shall pasture along all highways, They shall neither be hungry nor thirsty, And to gushing springs will he guide them. 'Behold, these come from afar, 221. THE TRAINING OF JEHOVAH'S FAITHFUL SERVANT The Lord Jehovah has given me the tongue of a trained disciple, That I may know how to give the fainting a word of help. Each morning he wakens my ear to listen as a disciple, And I have not been rebellious nor turned back wilfully. My back I gave to the smiters and my cheek to those who plucked out my hair, I did not hide my face from either shame or insult, For my Lord Jehovah is my helper; therefore I am not confounded. I have set my face like flint, and I know I shall not be ashamed. My vindicator is near; who will contend with me? Let us stand up together! Who will make a charge against me? Let him come near me! The Lord Jehovah is my helper; who shall condemn me? They shall all fall to pieces like a garment, the moth shall devour them. Who of you reveres Jehovah? Let him listen to the voice of his servant; Though he lives in deep darkness and has no light, 222. THE FUTURE APPRECIATION OF JEHOVAH'S HEROIC SERVANT Behold, my servant shall prosper, |