Isaiah 42:1-4 - Servant Song #1

Introducing YHWH's Royal Servant
Isaiah 42:1-4

1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

2 He will not cry out or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench. He will faithfully bring forth justice.

4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth, and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
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Interpretation/Meditation

This short four verse section introduces YHWH’s Servant. This first song is the shortest. It is spoken in the third person (perhaps that is only noticed later when the next song changes). In other words, the prophet (Isaiah) is speaking for God. God is telling us about the Servant (the pronoun “he.”). God is introducing us (the hearers of the prophetic word) to this servant. “Behold my Servant.”

YHWH upholds the servant. YHWH has chosen him. YHWH delights in him. YHWH has put his spirit upon him. Also, as has been hinted at elsewhere in Isaiah, the servant broadens the focus of redemption and rescue (bringing justice) beyond the single nation of Israel to THE NATIONS. In addition, the Servant brings justice. In the past approximately 150 years, two major empires (first Assyria decimated the Northern Kingdom and then Babylon who carried off these Judean exiles far from their homeland to serve their conquerors) have marched through the Near East bringing military power and ruthless injustice upon many conquered peoples (including Israel). Justice for the conquered peoples is hungered for.

In verses 2-4, however, we are introduced to hints of the Servant undergoing conflict or suffering to come. This is no more than a foreshadowing at this point but it is enough to make us see the in the subsequent songs this theme was here from the beginning. As the Servant serves the nations with justice, he also will suffer; he will be somehow crushed.

The Servant is Israel. There is simply no doubt, at this point, this is how the original audience — the exiles — would understand these words. Only later when the more is revealed about the Servant, will we begin to become uneasy about Israel “fitting” the description and we will begin to look for either another or we look for a “secondary” fulfillment of the prophecy.

Isaiah only whets our appetite with the first Servant Song. “Behold the Servant.” God has seen the plight of his people so hold on for there is more to come. It might be too early to rejoice, but for desperate exiles looking for rescue rejoicing is going to happen. Read Psalm 98 and see the excitement and praise the exiles will experience as God moves to rescue them.
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All Related Posts:
Servant Songs Intro/Background - https://listed.to/@Qoheleth/67223/isaiah-servant-songs-intro

Isaiah 42:1-4 -- Introducing YHWH's Royal Servant - https://listed.to/@Qoheleth/67224/isaiah-42-1-4-servant-song-1
Isaiah 49:1-6 -- The Prophetic Royal Servant - https://listed.to/@Qoheleth/67225/isaiah-49-1-6-servant-song-2
Isaiah 50:4-11 -- The Suffering Prophetic Royal Servant - https://listed.to/@Qoheleth/67226/isaiah-50-4-11-servant-song-3
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 -- The Suffering Prophetic Royal Servant is Redemptive (our redemption) - https://listed.to/@Qoheleth/67227/isaiah-52-13-53-12-servant-song-4