Lament with HOPE: He will not crush the weakest reed

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice  ~ Isaiah 42:3 NIV

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 ³ He will not crush the weakest reed
      or put out a flickering candle.
      He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. 

 

 

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.  In his name the nations will put their hope. ~ Matthew 12: 20-21 NIV

 

 New Living Translation (NLT)  ²⁰ He will not crush the weakest reed
      or put out a flickering candle.
      Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
 ²¹ And his name will be the hope
      of all the world.”^[a]

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 12:21 Isa 42:1-4 (Greek version for 42:4).

 Isaiah 42:1-4

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
² He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
³ A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
⁴ He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

 Ecclesiastes 3

New King James Version (NKJV)

Everything Has Its Time

3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
³ A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
⁷ A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.

The God-Given Task

⁹ What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.