Isaiah 63 WBT
Summary: A dramatic question-and-answer vision opens the chapter: who is this coming from Edom in garments stained red like a winepress treader? It is the LORD, who trod the winepress of judgment alone in His anger, His own arm bringing salvation, His garments sprinkled with the blood of His enemies on "the day of vengeance" (v. 4). The tone shifts to recounting the LORD's past lovingkindnesses toward Israel — His compassion, His presence with them in all their affliction, His grief when they rebelled and became His enemies, and His guidance through the wilderness by Moses, dividing the waters and giving rest. The chapter closes as a communal lament, pleading for God to look down from heaven, acknowledging Him as Father and Redeemer even though Abraham and Israel may not recognize them, and asking why He has let them stray from His ways and hardened their hearts, appealing to His holy dwelling and former mercies.
1Who [is] this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this [that is] glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
2Why [art thou] red in thy apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat.
3I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people [there was] none with me: for I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
4For the day of vengeance [is] in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
5And I looked, and [there was] none to help; and I wondered that [there was] none to uphold: therefore my own arm brought salvation to me; and my fury, it upheld me.
6And I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
7I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the LORD, [and] the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness towards the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses.
8For he said, Surely they [are] my people, children [that] will not lie: so he was their Savior.
9In 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 bore them, and carried them all the days of old.
10But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, [and] he fought against them.
11Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, [and] his people, [saying], Where [is] he that brought them out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where [is] he that put his holy Spirit within him?
12That led [them] by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
13That led them through the deep, as a horse in the wilderness, [that] they should not stumble?
14As a beast goeth down in the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.
15Look 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 towards me? are they restrained?
16Doubtless 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.
17O 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 thy inheritance.
18The people of thy holiness have possessed [it] but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.
19We are [thine]: thou never didst bear rule over them; they were not called by thy name.
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