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The Lord Judges His People

63 Who is this coming from Edom?
    He comes from the city of Bozrah dressed in red.
Who is this dressed in fine clothes?
    He marches forward with his great power.

He says, “I, the Lord, speak what is right.
    I have the power to save you.”

Why are your clothes bright red
    as if you had walked on the grapes to make wine?

The Lord answers, “I have walked in the winepress alone.
    No one among the nations helped me.
I was angry and walked on the nations.
    I crushed them because of my anger.
Blood splashed on my clothes.
    I stained all my clothing.
I chose a time to punish people.
    And the time has come for me to save my people.
I looked around, but I saw no one to help me.
    I was surprised that no one supported me.
So I used my own power to save my people.
    My own anger supported me.
While I was angry, I walked on the nations.
    In my anger I punished them
    and poured their blood on the ground.”

The Lord’s Kindness to His People

I will tell about the Lord’s kindness.
    And I will praise him for what he has done.
He has given many good things to us.
    He has been very good to the people of Israel.
The Lord has shown mercy to us.
    And he has been kind to us.
The Lord said, “These are my people.
    My children will not lie to me.”
    So the Lord saved them.
When they suffered, he suffered also.
    He sent his own angel to save them.
Because of his love and kindness, the Lord saved them.
    Since long ago he has picked them up and carried them.
10 But they turned against the Lord.
    They made his Holy Spirit very sad.
So the Lord became their enemy.
    And he fought against them.

11 But then his people remembered what happened long ago.
    They remembered Moses.
Where is the Lord who brought the people through the sea?
    Where is the one who brought them with the leaders of his people?
Where is the one
    who put his Holy Spirit among them?
12 The Lord led Moses by the right hand.
    The Lord led him by his wonderful power.
The Lord divided the water before them so the people could walk through the sea.
    And by this the Lord made his name famous forever.
13 The Lord led the people through the deep waters.
Like a horse walking through a desert,
    the people did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go down to the valley,
    the Spirit of the Lord led the people to a place of rest.
Lord, that is the way you led your people.
    And by this you made your name wonderful.

A Prayer for Help

15 Lord, look down from the heavens and see.
    Look at us from your wonderful holy home in heaven.
Where is your strong love and power?
    Why are you keeping your love and mercy from us?
16 You are our father.
    Abraham doesn’t know we are his children.
    Israel doesn’t know who we are.
Lord, you are our father.
    You are called “the one who has always saved us.”
17 Lord, why are you making us wander from your ways?
    Why do you make us stubborn so that we don’t honor you?
For our sake come back to us.
    We are your servants, and we belong to you.
18 Your people had your Temple for a while.
    But now our enemies have walked on your holy place and crushed it.
19 You have never ruled over some people.
    They have never worn your name.
And we have become like those people.

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)

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

“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.
It was for me the day of vengeance;(K)
    the year for me to redeem had come.
I 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)
I 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

I 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.
He said, “Surely they are my people,(U)
    children who will be true to me”;
    and so he became their Savior.(V)
In 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)
10 Yet they rebelled(AB)
    and grieved his Holy Spirit.(AC)
So he turned and became their enemy(AD)
    and he himself fought(AE) against them.

11 Then 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,
12 who 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)
13 who led(AL) them through the depths?(AM)
Like a horse in open country,
    they did not stumble;(AN)
14 like 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.

15 Look 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.
16 But 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.
17 Why, 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)
18 For a little while(BC) your people possessed your holy place,
    but now our enemies have trampled(BD) down your sanctuary.(BE)
19 We are yours from of old;
    but you have not ruled over them,
    they have not been called[c] by your name.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:9 Or Savior in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them
  2. Isaiah 63:11 Or But may he recall
  3. Isaiah 63:19 Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called