Isaiah 41:1-13

New King James Version

Israel Assured of God’s Help

41 “Keep ^(A)silence before Me, O coastlands,
And let the people renew their strength!
Let them come near, then let them speak;
Let us ^(B)come near together for judgment.

²“Who raised up one ^(C)from the east?
Who in righteousness called him to His feet?
Who ^(D)gave the nations before him,
And made him rule over kings?
Who gave them as the dust to his sword,
As driven stubble to his bow?
³Who pursued them, and passed ^[a]safely
By the way that he had not gone with his feet?
⁴^(E)Who has performed and done it,
Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am ^(F)the first;
And with the last I am ^(G)He.’ ”

⁵The coastlands saw it and feared,
The ends of the earth were afraid;
They drew near and came.
⁶^(H)Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
^[b]“Be of good courage!”
⁷^(I)So the craftsman encouraged the ^(J)goldsmith;^[c]
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil,
Saying, ^[d]“It is ready for the soldering”;
Then he fastened it with pegs,
^(K)That it might not totter.

⁸“But you, Israel, are My servant,
Jacob whom I have ^(L)chosen,
The descendants of Abraham My ^(M)friend.
⁹You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,
‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
¹⁰^(N)Fear not, ^(O)for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

¹¹“Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be ^(P)ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
¹²You shall seek them and not find them—
^[e]Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.
¹³For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’