1. Listen to me, you islands;hear this, you distant nations:before I was born the Lord called me;from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
2. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me into a polished arrowand concealed me in his quiver.
3. He said to me, ‘You are my servant,Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’
4. But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain;I have spent my strength for nothing at all.Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand,and my reward is with my God.’