Philip Dampier's Blog

The First Servant Song

Isaiah 42:3 “…a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”

The first four verses of Isaiah 42 make up the first of the four servant songs of Isaiah. This truth of the coming Messiah is restated in Matthew’s gospel, Matt. 12:20. Matthew’s comments in verses 15-17 and 23 help us to understand who the servant in the song is. Matthew says it is Jesus.

In 1630, Richard Sibbes wrote a book, The Bruised Reed, on half of this verse. The book is available online. Richard Sibbes was a puritan scholar from England. He preached at Grays Inn in London from 1617 until his death. Such crowds came they had to continually enlarge the place where he spoke.

In this classic treatment of this verse which was written for discouraged Christians he summed up the true meaning of grace. I wish to offer this quote from his work for your meditation: “God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives.”

Let’s look at it in step-by-step form.

1. God knows we are helpless.

2. Therefore he requires only what he supplies.

3. He thus supplies all that he requires.

4. He accepts what he supplies.

Task for Today: Accept the love of God which brings grace to you in your time of need and the grace love brings is enough.