Add parallel Print Page Options

Chapter 63

God’s Judgment of Edom

    [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.”
Why are your robes red,
    like the garments of those
    who tread the winepress?
“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.
I resolved in my heart on a day of vengeance,
    and my year for redeeming was at hand.
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.
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]

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.
For he said, “These are indeed my people,
    children who will not betray me,”
    and he became their Savior.
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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Isaiah 63:16 Israel: that is, Jacob. Descent from the patriarchs did not provide the needed protection.

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