Isaiah 63

The Day of Vengeance and the LORD's Steadfast Love

1Who is this coming from Edom,
from Bozrah in crimson-stained clothes,
splendid in his garments,
striding in his great strength?
“It is I, speaking in righteousness,
mighty to save.” 2Why are your clothes red,
your garments like those of someone treading a winepress? 3“I have trodden the press alone;
no one from the peoples was with me.
I trod them in my anger
and trampled them in my fury.
Their lifeblood spattered my clothes;
I stained all my garments. 4For a day of vengeance was in my heart,
and the year of my redeemed had come.

5I looked, but there was no helper;
I was appalled, but there was no supporter.
So my own arm brought me salvation,
and my fury sustained me. 6I trampled peoples in my anger,
made them drunk in my fury,
and poured their lifeblood onto the ground.” 7I will recount the LORD’s faithful acts of love,
the LORD’s praiseworthy deeds,
for all the LORD has done for us—
his great goodness to the house of Israel,
shown according to his compassion
and his abundant faithful love. 8He said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely.”
So he became their Savior.

9In all their distress he was distressed,
and the messenger of his presence saved them.
In his love and pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10But they rebelled and grieved his holy Spirit.
So he turned into their enemy;
he himself fought against them. 11Then his people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses:
“Where is the one who brought them up from the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is the one who put his holy Spirit among them, 12who sent his glorious arm
at Moses’ right hand,
who split the waters before them
to make an everlasting name for himself,

13who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in open country,
they did not stumble. 14Like cattle going down into a valley,
the LORD’s Spirit gave them rest.
So you led your people
to make yourself a glorious name.” 15Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and glorious dwelling.
Where are your zeal and your mighty deeds?
Your deep stirring and compassion
are withheld from me. 16For you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not recognize us.
You, LORD, are our Father;
Our Redeemer from of Old is your name.

17Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our hearts so we do not fear you?
Return for your servants’ sake,
the tribes of your inheritance. 18Your holy people possessed it only a little while;
our adversaries have trampled your sanctuary. 19We have become like those you never ruled,
those over whom your name was never called.