Isaiah 63
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 63
God’s Judgment of Edom
1 [a]Who is this that comes from Edom,
from Bozrah in crimson garments?
Who is this so magnificently attired,
marching with his mighty strength?
“It is I, proclaiming victory,
I who possess the power to save.”
2 Why are your robes red,
like the garments of those
who tread the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone;
not one of the nations came to my aid.
I trod the nations in my anger
and trampled them in my wrath.
Their blood spurted out all over my garments
and stained all my robes.
4 I resolved in my heart on a day of vengeance,
and my year for redeeming was at hand.
5 I looked all around, but there was no one to help;
I was outraged that no one offered any assistance.
Even so, my own arm brought me victory
and my wrath sustained me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
I crushed them in my wrath
and sent their blood streaming forth over the ground.”
A Plea for Deliverance[b]
7 I will recount the favors of the Lord,
the glorious deeds of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us
and the great kindness he has shown
to the house of Israel.
He has favored us with his mercy
and the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “These are indeed my people,
children who will not betray me,”
and he became their Savior.
9 In all their difficulties
it was no messenger or an angel
but he himself who saved them.
In his love and his pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
through all the days of old.
10 However, they rebelled
and grieved his Holy Spirit.
Therefore, he became their enemy
and he himself fought against them.
11 Then they remembered the days of old
and Moses his servant.
Where is he who brought up from the water
the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who put his Holy Spirit
in their midst,
12 whose glorious arm led them
to march at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
to win for himself everlasting renown,
13 and who led them through the depths?
Like horses in open country,
they did not stumble.
14 Like cattle descending into a valley,
the Spirit of the Lord afforded them rest.
15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and glorious dwelling.
Where are your zeal and your might,
your compassion and your tender mercy?
Do not withhold them from me.
16 For you are our Father.
Although Abraham does not know us
and Israel[c] does not acknowledge us,
you, O Lord, are our Father;
forever you have been called our Redeemer.
17 Why, O Lord, do you allow us
to wander from your ways,
and harden our hearts
so that we do not fear you?
Return for the sake of your servants,
for the tribes that are your heritage.
18 For a brief period of time
your people possessed your holy place,
but now your enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 For far too long we have been
like those whom you do not rule,
like those who do not bear your name.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 63:1 After songs of profound joy, a tragic theme returns. Once again, judgment looms on the horizon like an apocalypse; it brings out the dramatic aspect of human history. These oracles sing, in sometimes fierce language, a hymn to the greatness of God who, in the final analysis, decides the destinies of the human race.
- Isaiah 63:7 This moving prayer, a psalm of desolation, was uttered on the morrow of the collapse of 587 B.C. or, in any case, at the beginning of the Exile.
- Isaiah 63:16 Israel: that is, Jacob. Descent from the patriarchs did not provide the needed protection.
Isaiah 63
New King James Version
The Lord in Judgment and Salvation
63 Who is this who comes from Edom,
With dyed garments from Bozrah,
This One who is [a]glorious in His apparel,
Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—
“I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
2 Why (A)is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
3 “I have (B)trodden the winepress alone,
And from the peoples no one was with Me.
For I have trodden them in My anger,
And trampled them in My fury;
Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,
And I have stained all My robes.
4 For the (C)day of vengeance is in My heart,
And the year of My redeemed has come.
5 (D)I looked, but (E)there was no one to help,
And I wondered
That there was no one to uphold;
Therefore My own (F)arm brought salvation for Me;
And My own fury, it sustained Me.
6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,
Made them drunk in My fury,
And brought down their strength to the earth.”
God’s Mercy Remembered
7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord
And the praises of the Lord,
According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us,
And the great goodness toward the house of Israel,
Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies,
According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, “Surely they are My people,
Children who will not lie.”
So He became their Savior.
9 (G)In all their affliction He was [b]afflicted,
(H)And the Angel of His Presence saved them;
(I)In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;
And (J)He bore them and carried them
All the days of old.
10 But they (K)rebelled and (L)grieved His Holy Spirit;
(M)So He turned Himself against them as an enemy,
And He fought against them.
11 Then he (N)remembered the days of old,
Moses and his people, saying:
“Where is He who (O)brought them up out of the sea
With the [c]shepherd of His flock?
(P)Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,
12 Who led them by the right hand of Moses,
(Q)With His glorious arm,
(R)Dividing the water before them
To make for Himself an everlasting name,
13 (S)Who led them through the deep,
As a horse in the wilderness,
That they might not stumble?”
14 As a beast goes down into the valley,
And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest,
So You lead Your people,
(T)To make Yourself a glorious name.
A Prayer of Penitence
15 (U)Look down from heaven,
And see (V)from Your habitation, holy and glorious.
Where are Your zeal and Your strength,
The yearning (W)of Your heart and Your mercies toward me?
Are they restrained?
16 (X)Doubtless You are our Father,
Though Abraham (Y)was ignorant of us,
And Israel does not acknowledge us.
You, O Lord, are our Father;
Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
17 O Lord, why have You (Z)made us stray from Your ways,
And hardened our heart from Your fear?
Return for Your servants’ sake,
The tribes of Your inheritance.
18 (AA)Your holy people have possessed it but a little while;
(AB)Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.
19 We have become like those of old, over whom You never ruled,
Those who were never called by Your name.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 63:1 Or adorned
- Isaiah 63:9 Kt., LXX, Syr. not afflicted
- Isaiah 63:11 MT, Vg. shepherds
Isaiah 63
King James Version
63 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?
12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
13 That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble?
14 As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
17 O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.
18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.
19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.
Isaiah 63
English Standard Version
The Lord's Day of Vengeance
63 Who is this who comes from (A)Edom,
in crimsoned garments from (B)Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
(C)marching in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
mighty to save.”
3 (F)“I have trodden the winepress alone,
(G)and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood[a] spattered on my garments,
and stained all my apparel.
4 (H)For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and my year of redemption[b] had come.
5 I looked, but (I)there was no one to help;
I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
and my wrath upheld me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
(J)I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
The Lord's Mercy Remembered
7 I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord has granted us,
(K)and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
And he became their Savior.
9 (L)In all their affliction he was afflicted,[c]
and the angel of his presence saved them;
(M)in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
(N)he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10 (O)But they rebelled
(P)and grieved his Holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them.
11 Then he remembered (Q)the days of old,
of Moses and his people.[d]
(R)Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
his Holy Spirit,
12 who caused his glorious arm
to go at the right hand of Moses,
(S)who divided the waters before them
(T)to make for himself an everlasting name,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble.
14 Like livestock that go down into the valley,
(U)the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So you led your people,
(V)to make for yourself a glorious name.
Prayer for Mercy
15 (W)Look down from heaven and see,
(X)from your holy and beautiful[e] habitation.
Where are (Y)your zeal and your might?
The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
are held back from me.
16 For (Z)you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us,
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
(AA)our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
and (AB)harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
(AC)Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 (AD)Your holy people held possession for a little while;[f]
(AE)our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 (AF)We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
like those who are not called by your name.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 63:3 Or their juice; also verse 6
- Isaiah 63:4 Or the year of my redeemed
- Isaiah 63:9 Or he did not afflict
- Isaiah 63:11 Or Then his people remembered the days of old, of Moses
- Isaiah 63:15 Or holy and glorious
- Isaiah 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
