God expostulates with his people about his mercies to the church, 1-9, about his promises, 10-20, and about the vanity of idols, 21-29.
1 "Keep silence before me, O coastlands, and let the people renew their strength. Let them come near, then let them speak. Let us come near together for judgment.
2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow.
3 He pursued them and passed safely, even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.
4 Who has wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first and with the last, I am he."
5 The coastlands saw it and feared. The ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
6 They each helped his neighbor, and each said to his brother, "Be of good courage."
7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer encouraged him who smote the anvil, saying, "It is ready for the soldering." And he fastened it with nails so that it should not be moved.
8 "But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend,
9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called you from the chief men thereof, and said to you, 'You are my servant. I have chosen you, and not cast you away.'
10 Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will even help you. I will also uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and confounded. They shall be as nothing. And those who contend with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them, and shall not find them, even those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing.
13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Do not fear. I will help you.'
14 Do not fear, you worm Jacob and you men of Israel. I will help you," says the LORD, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I will make you a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth. You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff.
16 You shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst, I, the LORD, will hear them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water.
19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah-tree, the myrtle, and the oil-tree. I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together,
20 So that they may see, know, consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.
21 Produce your cause," says the LORD. "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the King of Jacob.
22 "Let them bring them forth and show us what shall happen. Let them show the former things, what they are so that we may consider them and know the latter end of them, or declare to us things to come.
23 Show the things that are to come hereafter so that we may know that you are gods. Indeed, do good or do evil, so that we may be dismayed and behold it together.
24 Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of nothing. He who chooses you is an abomination.
25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come. From the rising of the sun he shall call upon my name. And he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
26 Who has declared from the beginning so that we may know, and beforehand so that we may say, 'He is righteous'? Surely, there is no one who shows. Surely, there is no one who declares. Surely, there is no one who hears your words.
27 The first shall say to Zion, 'Behold, behold them.' And I will give to Jerusalem one who brings good tidings.
28 For I beheld, and there was no man, even among them, and there was no counselor, who, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
29 Behold, they are all vanity. Their works are nothing. Their molten images are wind and confusion."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Isaiah, Chapter 41[➚]