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.
2 “Why is your clothing red,
and your garments like those worn by the ones who tread in the winepress?[a]
3 “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.
4 “For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and the year for my redeeming work had come.
5 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.
6 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
7 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.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who won’t act falsely.”
And so he became their savior.
9 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
- Isaiah 63:2 So 1QIsaa; or coriander or clothing
- Isaiah 63:3 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX read from the peoples
- Isaiah 63:3 So 1QIsab MT LXX; 1QIsaa lacks I trampled…my garment
- Isaiah 63:3 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT verb I stained is problematic.
- Isaiah 63:5 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read to support me
- Isaiah 63:5 I.e. the Messiah
- Isaiah 63:6 Lit. peoples
- Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa MT; some MTmss read he was distressed.
- Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa; MT reads in his love; LXX reads because of his love for them
- Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa; MT reads act of pity
- Isaiah 63:9 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read lifted them up and carried them
- Isaiah 63:10 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT lacks and
- Isaiah 63:11 I.e. his people
- Isaiah 63:11 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads brought them up
- Isaiah 63:11 So 1QIsaa; MT reads with the
- Isaiah 63:12 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX lack and
- Isaiah 63:12 I.e. the Meessiah; lit. arm of his glories; so 1QIsaa; MT reads arm of his glory
- Isaiah 63:12 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read to win for himself
- Isaiah 63:14 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read This is how
- Isaiah 63:16 Lit. and; so 1QIsaa; MT LXX read but or although
- Isaiah 63:16 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads Israel does not acknowledge
- Isaiah 63:16 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX read you
- Isaiah 63:17 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read do you make us wander, Lord
- Isaiah 63:18 So 1QIsaa (sing.); MT is pl.; LXX reads so that we may take possession