Of the three sections of The Messiah I think my favorite is the beginning of the second.

This section is based on the passion or sacrifice of Jesus but once again, only a small section of text is taken from a gospel account. Most of the text comes from The Old Testament.

The second section uses Isaiah extensively.

"He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53 : 3)

"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him." (Isaiah 53 : 4-5)

"And with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53 : 5) "Stripes" is a translation of the Hebrew word for bruises.

"All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53 : 6)

The Old Testament text of the prophets is poetic and more dramatic than the narratives of the gospels or the theology of Paul in his epistles. The prophets lend themselves to music which is why Handel used them.

The chorus All We, Like Sheep Have Gone Astray is my favorite Messiah chorus. Handel has the chorus sing the phrase, "All we like sheep" together before sending each section astray.

The tone of the music is sanguine and carefree, even playful. Then, in the midst of these frolicking sheep, Handel drops the hammer. "And The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Playtime is over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXKisDZvB0Y&feature=related