Isaiah 49:1-5

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. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’ 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.’ And now the LORD says – he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honoured in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength