Isaiah 63
Christian Standard Bible
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,
striding in his formidable[a] might?
It is I, proclaiming vindication,[b]
powerful to save.
2 Why are your clothes red,
and your garments like one who treads a winepress?(B)
3 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.
4 For I planned the day of vengeance,(C)
and the year of my redemption[c] came.
5 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.
6 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
7 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,
which he did for them based on his compassion
and the abundance of his faithful love.
8 He said, “They are indeed my people,
children who will not be disloyal,”
and he became their Savior.
9 In all their suffering, he suffered,[d](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[e] 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[f] of his flock?
Where is he who put his Holy Spirit among the flock?
12 He made his glorious strength
available at the right hand of Moses,
divided the water before them(K)
to make an eternal name 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[g] 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[h] 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, Lord, are our Father;
your name is Our Redeemer(M)
from Ancient Times.
17 Why, Lord, do you make us stray from your ways?
You harden our hearts so we do not fear[i] you.(N)
Return, because of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 Your holy people had a possession[j]
for a little while,
but our enemies have trampled down
your sanctuary.(O)
19 We have become like those you never ruled,
like those who did not bear your name.(P)
Footnotes
- 63:1 Syr, Vg read apparel, striding forward in
- 63:1 Or righteousness
- 63:4 Or blood retribution
- 63:9 Alt Hb tradition reads did not suffer
- 63:11 Or they
- 63:11 LXX, Tg, Syr read shepherd
- 63:14 Lit him
- 63:15 Lit The agitation of your inward parts
- 63:17 Lit our heart from fearing
- 63:18 Or Your people possessed your holy place
Isaiah 63
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 63
The Divine Warrior[a]
1 Who is this that comes from Edom,
in crimsoned garments, from Bozrah?
Who is this, glorious in his apparel,
striding in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, I who announce vindication,
mighty to save.”(A)
2 Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like one who treads the wine press?(B)
3 “The wine press I have trodden alone,
and from the peoples no one was with me.
I trod them in my anger,
and trampled them down in my wrath;
Their blood spurted on my garments,
all my apparel I stained.
4 For a day of vindication was in my heart,
my year for redeeming had come.(C)
5 I looked about, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that there was no one to lend support;
So my own arm brought me victory
and my own wrath lent me support.(D)
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger,
I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their blood upon the ground.”
Prayer for the Return of God’s Favor
7 [b]The loving deeds of the Lord I will recall,
the glorious acts of the Lord,
Because of all the Lord has done for us,
the immense goodness to the house of Israel,
Which he has granted according to his mercy
and his many loving deeds.(E)
8 He said: “They are indeed my people,
children who are not disloyal.”
So he became their savior
9 in their every affliction.
It was not an envoy or a messenger,
but his presence that saved them.
Because of his love and pity
the Lord redeemed them,
Lifting them up and carrying them
all the days of old.(F)
10 But they rebelled
and grieved his holy spirit;
So he turned to become their enemy,
and warred against them.(G)
11 Then they remembered the days of old, of Moses, his servant:
Where is the one who brought up out of the sea
the shepherd of his flock?
Where is the one who placed in their midst
his holy spirit,(H)
12 Who guided Moses by the hand,
with his glorious arm?
Where is the one who divided the waters before them—
winning for himself an everlasting renown—
13 Who guided them through the depths,
like horses in open country?
14 As cattle going down into the valley,
they did not stumble.
The spirit of the Lord guided them.
Thus you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven and regard us
from your holy and glorious palace!
Where is your zealous care and your might,
your surge of pity?(I)
Your mercy hold not back!
16 For you are our father.
Were Abraham not to know us,
nor Israel to acknowledge us,
You, Lord, are our father,
our redeemer you are named from of old.
17 Why do you make us wander, Lord, from your ways,
and harden our hearts so that we do not fear you?[c]
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 Why have the wicked invaded your holy place,
why have our enemies trampled your sanctuary?
19 [d]Too long have we been like those you do not rule,
on whom your name is not invoked.
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
with the mountains quaking before you,(J)
Footnotes
- 63:1–6 Two questions are raised at the approach of a majestic figure coming from Edom. It is the Lord, his garments red with the blood from the judgment battle. Edom (its capital Bozrah) plundered Judah after the fall of Jerusalem; cf. 34:5–17. Wine press: here a symbol of a bloody judgment; cf. Lam 1:15; Jl 4:13.
- 63:7–64:11 This lament of the exilic community recalls God’s protection, and especially the memories of the exodus (vv. 7–14), before begging the Lord to come once more to their aid (63:15–64:3), as they confess their sins (64:4–11). The prayer is marked by God’s “holy spirit” (63:10–11, 14) and fatherhood (63:8, 9, 16; 64:7).
- 63:17 The hardening of the heart (Ex 4:21; 7:3) serves to explain Israel’s sins—a motif to induce the Lord to relent.
- 63:19–64:3 A new theophany, like Sinai of old, is invoked so that Israel’s enemies will be humbled by God’s intervention.
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