Isaiah 41:10: Do not fear, for I am with you

Five promises

• I am with you. Presence comes first.
• I am your God. Not a distant god: yours.
• I will strengthen you. Strength for what you face.
• I will surely help you. Help that is certain, not maybe.
• I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. The right hand is the hand of power; God holds you up.

The context

Isaiah 41 imagines the nations trembling before a conqueror. Against that fear God calls Israel “My servant… whom I have chosen” (v. 8) and promises to hold their hand: “I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you” (v. 13).

Pray it

God, I am afraid of [name it]. Thank you that you are with me and you are my God. Strengthen me, help me and hold me up today. Amen.

Read alongside

“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend— I brought you from the ends of the earth and called you from its farthest corners. I said, ‘You are My servant.’ I have chosen and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish. You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing. For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you.

Isaiah 41:8–13