“But you, Israel, My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
The offspring of Abraham My friend, [Heb 2:16; James 2:23]
You whom I [the LORD] have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its remotest parts
And said to you, ‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not rejected you [even though you are exiled].
‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you;
I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’ [Acts 18:10]
“Indeed, all those who are angry with you will be put to shame and humiliated;
Those who strive against you will be as nothing and will perish.
“You shall search for those who quarrel with you, but will not find them;
They who war against you will be as nothing, as nothing at all.
“For I the LORD your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord],
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
“Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the LORD, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
“In fact, I have made of you a new, sharp threshing implement with sharp edges;
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
And make the hills like chaff.
“You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away,
And a high wind will scatter them;
But you will rejoice in the LORD,
You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.
¶“The poor and needy are seeking water, but there is none;
Their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, will answer them Myself;
I, the God of Israel, will not neglect them.
“I will open rivers on the barren heights
And springs in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a reed-pool of water
And the dry land springs of water.