Isaiah 63-64

New International Version

God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption

63 Who is this coming from Edom,^(A)
from Bozrah,^(B) with his garments stained crimson?^(C)
Who is this, robed in splendor,
striding forward in the greatness of his strength?^(D)

“It is I, proclaiming victory,
mighty to save.”^(E)

²Why are your garments red,
like those of one treading the winepress?^(F)

³“I have trodden the winepress^(G) alone;
    from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled^(H) them in my anger
    and trod them down in my wrath;^(I)
their blood spattered my garments,^(J)
    and I stained all my clothing.
⁴It was for me the day of vengeance;^(K)
    the year for me to redeem had come.
⁵I looked, but there was no one^(L) to help,
    I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm^(M) achieved salvation for me,
    and my own wrath sustained me.^(N)
⁶I trampled^(O) the nations in my anger;
    in my wrath I made them drunk^(P)
    and poured their blood^(Q) on the ground.”

Praise and Prayer

⁷I will tell of the kindnesses^(R) of the Lord,
    the deeds for which he is to be praised,
    according to all the Lord has done for us—
yes, the many good things^(S)
    he has done for Israel,
    according to his compassion^(T) and many kindnesses.
⁸He said, “Surely they are my people,^(U)
    children who will be true to me”;
    and so he became their Savior.^(V)
⁹In all their distress he too was distressed,
    and the angel^(W) of his presence^(X) saved them.^[a]
In his love and mercy he redeemed^(Y) them;
    he lifted them up and carried^(Z) them
    all the days of old.^(AA)
¹⁰Yet they rebelled^(AB)
    and grieved his Holy Spirit.^(AC)
So he turned and became their enemy^(AD)
    and he himself fought^(AE) against them.

¹¹Then his people recalled^[b] the days of old,
    the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,^(AF)
    with the shepherd of his flock?^(AG)
Where is he who set
    his Holy Spirit^(AH) among them,
¹²who sent his glorious arm^(AI) of power
    to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters^(AJ) before them,
    to gain for himself everlasting renown,^(AK)
¹³who led^(AL) them through the depths?^(AM)
Like a horse in open country,
    they did not stumble;^(AN)
¹⁴like cattle that go down to the plain,
    they were given rest^(AO) by the Spirit of the Lord.
This is how you guided your people
    to make for yourself a glorious name.

¹⁵Look down from heaven^(AP) and see,
    from your lofty throne,^(AQ) holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal^(AR) and your might?
    Your tenderness and compassion^(AS) are withheld^(AT) from us.
¹⁶But you are our Father,^(AU)
    though Abraham does not know us
    or Israel acknowledge^(AV) us;
you, Lord, are our Father,
    our Redeemer^(AW) from of old is your name.
¹⁷Why, Lord, do you make us wander^(AX) from your ways
    and harden our hearts^(AY) so we do not revere^(AZ) you?
Return^(BA) for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your inheritance.^(BB)
¹⁸For a little while^(BC) your people possessed your holy place,
    but now our enemies have trampled^(BD) down your sanctuary.^(BE)
¹⁹We are yours from of old;
    but you have not ruled over them,
    they have not been called^[c] by your name.^(BF)

64 ^[d]Oh, that you would rend the heavens^(BG) and come down,^(BH)
    that the mountains^(BI) would tremble before you!
²As when fire sets twigs ablaze
    and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name^(BJ) known to your enemies
    and cause the nations to quake^(BK) before you!
³For when you did awesome^(BL) things that we did not expect,
    you came down, and the mountains trembled^(BM) before you.
⁴Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,^(BN)
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.^(BO)
⁵You come to the help of those who gladly do right,^(BP)
    who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them,
    you were angry.^(BQ)
    How then can we be saved?
⁶All of us have become like one who is unclean,^(BR)
    and all our righteous^(BS) acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,^(BT)
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.^(BU)
⁷No one^(BV) calls on your name^(BW)
    or strives to lay hold of you;
for you have hidden^(BX) your face from us
    and have given us over^(BY) to^[e] our sins.

⁸Yet you, Lord, are our Father.^(BZ)
    We are the clay, you are the potter;^(CA)
    we are all the work of your hand.^(CB)
⁹Do not be angry^(CC) beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins^(CD) forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.^(CE)
¹⁰Your sacred cities^(CF) have become a wasteland;
    even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation.^(CG)
¹¹Our holy and glorious temple,^(CH) where our ancestors praised you,
    has been burned with fire,
    and all that we treasured^(CI) lies in ruins.
¹²After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?^(CJ)
    Will you keep silent^(CK) and punish us beyond measure?

Footnotes

Isaiah 63:9 Or Savior ⁹in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them
Isaiah 63:11 Or But may he recall
Isaiah 63:19 Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called
Isaiah 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1 is numbered 63:19b, and 64:2-12 is numbered 64:1-11.
Isaiah 64:7 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew have made us melt because of