Passage: Isaiah 63, 64 (RSV)


Isaiah 63


1Who is this that comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? "It is I, announcing vindication, mighty to save."
2Why is thy apparel red, and thy garments like his that treads in the wine press?
3"I have trodden the wine press alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment.
4For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption has come.
5I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me victory, and my wrath upheld me.
6I trod down the peoples in my anger, I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."
7I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel which he has granted them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8For he said, Surely they are my people, sons who will not deal falsely; and he became 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; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
10But they rebelled and grieved his holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.
11Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses his servant. Where is he who brought up out of the sea the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his holy Spirit,
12who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name,
13who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble.
14Like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So thou didst lead thy people, to make for thyself a glorious name.
15Look down from heaven and see, from thy holy and glorious habitation. Where are thy zeal and thy might? The yearning of thy heart and thy compassion are withheld from me.
16For thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; thou, O LORD, art our Father, our Redeemer from of old is thy name.
17O LORD, why dost thou make us err from thy ways and harden our heart, so that we fear thee not? Return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy heritage.
18Thy holy people possessed thy sanctuary a little while; our adversaries have trodden it down.
19We have become like those over whom thou hast never ruled, like those who are not called by thy name.

Isaiah 64


1O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence --
2as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil -- to make thy name known to thy adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at thy presence!
3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence.
4From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him.
5Thou meetest him that joyfully works righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. Behold, thou wast angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7There is no one that calls upon thy name, that bestirs himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast delivered us into the hand of our iniquities.
8Yet, O LORD, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand.
9Be not exceedingly angry, O LORD, and remember not iniquity for ever. Behold, consider, we are all thy people.
10Thy holy cities have become a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12Wilt thou restrain thyself at these things, O LORD? Wilt thou keep silent, and afflict us sorely?



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