Walsh summarizes his structural analysis of Isaiah 41:1-20 as follows:

A. introduction (vv. 1-4)

?. idolaters: partisans of Yahweh’s rivals (vv. 5-7)

C. Yahweh consoles Israel (vv. 8-12)

D “I, Yahweh, am your God” (v. 13)

C’. Yahweh consoles Israel (vv. 14-16)

B’. the weak and needy: partisans of Yahweh (vv. 17-19)

A’. conclusion (v. 20)

He offers this explanation of the structure:

“The first and last units are connected as question and answer. In vv. 1-4 Yahweh calls for a triad, poses the question the trial is to address: ‘Who has done such things?’ and claims the responsibility. V 20 argues that all the foregoing actions are intended to prove the claim that ‘Yahweh’s hand has done this.’

“Units ? and B’ describe two groups of travelers. The first group comprises those whom Yahweh summoned to trial, the coastal lands and islands of the sea, ‘the ends of the earth’ (v. 5b). They are idol-makers, and therefore partisans of those who dispute Yahweh’s claim. The poem mocks them—their feeble attempts to support and strengthen one another, and their helpless, immobile, and ineffectual gods as well. The second group is Yahweh’s partisans, Israel, whom the Lord has promised to bring back to their own land from ‘the ends of the earth’ (v. 9a). They are the truly weak and needy, whose part Yahweh will take. In contrast to the passive ineffectuality of made gods, Yahweh’s active intervention will support Israel with miraculous providence.

“Units ? and B’ are parallel also in their interned structure. Each is unified by a pervasive motif: ‘strength’ in vv. 5-7, ‘luxuriance in the desert’ in vv. 17-19. Each unit begins with a description of the group of travelers in terms of absence of the motif: fear and trembling in v. 5, thirst in v. 17a. This is followed by a stanza that speaks of the presence of the motif; in each case the stanza opens with a general statement (vv. 6, 17b) which is then illustrated with examples (vv. 7, 18-19).

“Units C, D, and C’ form the heart of the poem, Yahweh’s speech of consolation to Israel. The concentric arrangement of these units has been shown to focus on the pivotal v. 13, which epitomizes Yahweh’s claim.”

Walsh also sees verses 1-4 spiraling out through the remainder of the section: “V 1 points forward to vv 5-7 The address to the ‘sealands’ is a summons to ‘draw near.’ which the sealands obey in ? 5. The motif of strength is introduced in y 1 and becomes a unifying theme in ? ? 6-7 the peoples are urged to ‘don power anew,’ while vv 6-7 scorn the idolaters’ efforts to strengthen themselves . . . . V. 2a refers to rousing someone from the east. This points forward to ? 9a, where Yahweh’s summons to the people to return from Babylon alludes to the earlier call of Abraham from the lands of Haran and Ur. V 2a also uses sedeq as a term for Yahweh’s hero, and points to the same usage in ? 10. V 2b describes the coming subjection of kings and nations to Israel’s savior, vv 11-12 speak of the overthrow of all those who contend against Israel. V 2c uses the images of dust and scattered straw to depict the destruction of Israel’s enemies, vv 15-16 use agricultural metaphors and images of pulverization and winnowed chaff to describe the destruction of natural obstacles to Israel’s return. V 3 describes the prosperous road that Yahweh’s hero will traverse Vv 18-19 describe the miraculously provident route by which Yahweh will guide the needy through the desert. V. 4a asks the question, ‘Who has done such things?’ And v. 20 answers that ‘Yahweh has done this.’ Finally, v. 4b introduces the theme of ‘first’ and ‘last,’ a theme that will be pivotal in the next poetic unit, xli 21-xlii 17.”