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63 Who comes with long, strong strides, marching in strength
    from Edom, from Bozrah?
Who is coming, with such grand clothes, steeped in crimson and awesome to see?

Eternal One: It is I, the Eternal, who in righteousness declares victory.
        I am coming with great power and I’m ready to save.

And why are all your clothes red,
    as if you’ve been stomping on the grapes in the winepress?

Eternal One: And so I have. I have pressed by Myself.
        No one was with Me. In my anger, I trampled them;
    In my fury, I alone squashed them till their blood soaked my clothes
        and stained everything I wore.
    For it was time for Me to act, time for Me to pay back My enemies
        in response to their actions—My time to set things right again.
    But I looked and there was no one to help.
        I was amazed, but none was ready to offer support.
    So I had to do it alone, and I did;
        My own power brought salvation; My own wrath energized Me.
    I stomped and squashed them furiously.
        I made them reel and stagger on the wine of My anger,
    And I spilled their blood on the ground.

So let me remind you of the Eternal’s enduring love, and why we should praise Him.
    Let me tell you again how the Eternal gives and gives and gives.
All God’s wonders and goodness are done for Israel’s benefit
    according to His great mercy and compassion.

Eternal One: Surely, these are My people, and they will be true to Me.
        My children will not try to deceive Me.

And indeed, God became their Savior.
    And when they suffered, God suffered too;
And the messenger of His presence acted to save them.
    Out of enduring love, compassion, and concern,
God Himself rescued them. Through all those years long ago,
    God picked them up and carried them through.
10 But they rebelled and ran away;
    they turned their backs on Him and grieved His Holy Spirit.
And then, God turned against them, became their enemy,
    went after them, and took them on.
11 Then they remembered Moses and those days long ago:
    Where is the One who brought them safely through the perils of the sea
With the shepherd of His flock leading them?
    Where is the One who sent His Holy Spirit among the people?

12 Where is the God who put His power in Moses’ right hand
    and divided the waters before the Israelites,
Making an everlasting name for Himself as the true and living God?
13 Where is the One who led them through the sea?
    Like a horse in the desert, they never stumbled.
14 Like cattle that move down to find rest in the valley,
    the Spirit of the Eternal led them to rest.
You did that for Your people and gained a glorious reputation in the world.

15 People: Look down from heaven—
        peer down from that sacred, magnificent place where You live.
    What happened to Your passion, love, and compassion that sought us out?
        Where are Your powerful actions that used to support us?
16     Even though Abraham would not know us and Israel would disown us,
        You are our Father!
    Nevertheless, from way back,
        You, the Eternal, are our Father;
        we have called You our Redeemer from long ago.
17     O Eternal One, why do You make us wander off and direct our minds
        and harden our hearts, so that we no longer respect You?
    Please come back to us, for we are Your servants;
        we are the tribes that have been Yours through the generations.
18     For such a short time Your holy people possessed Your holy place in Jerusalem;
        then our enemies invaded and trampled all over it.
19     We’ve become like strangers to You,
        like people You never ruled,
    Like those never associated with Your name.

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