The Lord’s Day of Vengeance

63 Who is this coming from Edom(A)
in crimson-stained garments from Bozrah—
this One who is splendid in His apparel,
rising up proudly[a] in His great might?

It is I, proclaiming vindication,[b]
powerful to save.

Why are Your clothes red,
and Your garments like one who treads a winepress?(B)

I trampled the winepress alone,
and no one from the nations was with Me.
I trampled them in My anger
and ground them underfoot in My fury;
their blood spattered My garments,
and all My clothes were stained.
For I planned the day of vengeance,[c](C)
and the year of My redemption[d] came.
I looked, but there was no one to help,(D)
and I was amazed that no one assisted;
so My arm accomplished victory for Me,
and My wrath assisted Me.
I crushed nations in My anger;
I made them drunk with My wrath(E)
and poured out their blood on the ground.(F)

Remembrance of Grace

I will make known the Lord’s faithful love
and the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
because of all the Lord has done for us—
even the many good things
He has done for the house of Israel
and has done for them based on His compassion
and the abundance of His faithful love.
He said, “They are indeed My people,
children who will not be disloyal,”
and He became their Savior.
In all their suffering, He suffered,[e](G)
and the Angel of His Presence saved them.
He redeemed them
because of His love and compassion;(H)
He lifted them up and carried them
all the days of the past.(I)
10 But they rebelled
and grieved His Holy Spirit.(J)
So He became their enemy
and fought against them.
11 Then He[f] remembered the days of the past,
the days of Moses and his people.
Where is He who brought them out of the sea
with the shepherds[g] of His flock?
Where is He who put His Holy Spirit among the flock?
12 He sent His glorious arm
to be at Moses’ right hand,
divided the waters before them(K)
to obtain eternal fame for Himself,
13 and led them through the depths
like a horse in the wilderness,
so that they did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave them[h] rest.
You led Your people this way
to make a glorious name for Yourself.

Israel’s Prayer

15 Look down from heaven and see(L)
from Your lofty home—holy and beautiful.
Where is Your zeal and Your might?
Your yearning[i] and Your compassion
are withheld from me.
16 Yet You are our Father,
even though Abraham does not know us
and Israel doesn’t recognize us.
You, Yahweh, are our Father;
from ancient times,
Your name is our Redeemer.(M)
17 Why, Yahweh, do You make us stray from Your ways?
You harden our hearts so we do not fear[j] You.(N)
Return, because of Your servants,
the tribes of Your heritage.
18 Your holy people had a possession[k]
for a little while,
but our enemies have trampled down
Your sanctuary.(O)
19 We have become like those You never ruled over,
like those not called by Your name.(P)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:1 Syr, Vg read apparel, striding forward
  2. Isaiah 63:1 Or righteousness
  3. Isaiah 63:4 Lit For day of vengeance in My heart
  4. Isaiah 63:4 Or blood revenge
  5. Isaiah 63:9 Alt Hb tradition reads did not suffer
  6. Isaiah 63:11 Or he, or they
  7. Isaiah 63:11 LXX, Tg, Syr read shepherd
  8. Isaiah 63:14 Lit him
  9. Isaiah 63:15 Lit The agitation of Your inward parts
  10. Isaiah 63:17 Lit our heart from fearing
  11. Isaiah 63:18 Or Your people possessed Your holy place

God’s Day of Vengeance

63 “Who is this coming from Edom,
    from Bozrah, in garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in such splendor,
    marching in his great might?
It is I, speaking in vindication,
    mighty to save.

“Why is your clothing red,
    and your garments like those worn by the ones who tread in the winepress?[a]

“I have trodden the winepress alone,
    and from my people[b] no one was with me,
I trampled them in my anger
    and trod them down in my wrath;
their lifeblood spattered on my garments,[c]
    and I stained[d] all my clothing.

“For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
    and the year for my redeeming work had come.
I looked, but there was no helper,
    I was appalled that there was no one to give support;[e]
so my own arm[f] brought me victory,
    and as for my wrath, it supported me.
I trampled people[g] in my anger;
    in my wrath I made them drunk
        and I poured out their lifeblood on the ground.”

God’s Grace to Israel

I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
    the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
according to all the Lord has done for us—
    yes, the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his mercy,
    according to the abundance of his gracious love.
For he said, “Surely they are my people,
    children who won’t act falsely.”
        And so he became their savior.
In all their distress he wasn’t distressed,[h]
    but the angel of his presence saved them;
in his acts of love[i] and in his acts[j] of pity he redeemed them;
    he carried them and lifted them up[k] all the days of old.

10 Yet they rebelled
    and grieved his Holy Spirit;
so he changed and became their enemy,
    and[l] he himself fought against them.
11 Then they[m] remembered the days of old,
    of Moses his servant.
Where is the one who brought up[n] out of the sea
    the[o] shepherds of his flock?
Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit among them,
12 and[p] who made his glorious arm[q] march at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters in front of them
    to win[r] an everlasting name,
13 who led them through the depths?
    Like a horse in the open desert,
        they did not stumble;
14 like cattle that go down into the valley,
    the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
For[s] you led your people,
    to win for yourself a glorious name.

God the Father

15 Look down from heaven, and see
    from your holy and glorious dwelling.
Where are your zeal and your might?
    Where are the yearning of your heart and your compassion?
        They are held back from me.

16 But you are our Father,
    even[t] Abraham does not know us
        and Israel has not acknowledged[u] us;
you are he,[v] O Lord, our Father,
    from long ago, ‘Our Redeemer’ is your name.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us wander[w] from your ways
    and harden our hearts, so that we do not fear you?
Turn back for the sake of your servants,
    for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage.
18 Your holy people took possession[x] for a little while,
    but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 For a long time we have been those you do not rule,
    those who are not called by your name.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:2 So 1QIsaa; or coriander or clothing
  2. Isaiah 63:3 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX read from the peoples
  3. Isaiah 63:3 So 1QIsab MT LXX; 1QIsaa lacks I trampled…my garment
  4. Isaiah 63:3 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT verb I stained is problematic.
  5. Isaiah 63:5 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read to support me
  6. Isaiah 63:5 I.e. the Messiah
  7. Isaiah 63:6 Lit. peoples
  8. Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa MT; some MTmss read he was distressed.
  9. Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa; MT reads in his love; LXX reads because of his love for them
  10. Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa; MT reads act of pity
  11. Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read lifted them up and carried them
  12. Isaiah 63:10 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT lacks and
  13. Isaiah 63:11 I.e. his people
  14. Isaiah 63:11 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads brought them up
  15. Isaiah 63:11 So 1QIsaa; MT reads with the
  16. Isaiah 63:12 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack and
  17. Isaiah 63:12 I.e. the Meessiah; lit. arm of his glories; so 1QIsaa; MT reads arm of his glory
  18. Isaiah 63:12 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read to win for himself
  19. Isaiah 63:14 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read This is how
  20. Isaiah 63:16 Lit. and; so 1QIsaa; MT LXX read but or although
  21. Isaiah 63:16 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads Israel does not acknowledge
  22. Isaiah 63:16 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX read you
  23. Isaiah 63:17 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read do you make us wander, Lord
  24. Isaiah 63:18 So 1QIsaa (sing.); MT is pl.; LXX reads so that we may take possession