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63. God's Day of Vengeance and Redemption

¹ Who is this coming from Edom,
from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in splendor,
striding forward in the greatness of his strength?

“It is I, proclaiming victory,
mighty to save.”

² Why are your garments red,
like those of one treading the winepress?

    ³ “I have trodden the winepress alone;
   from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled them in my anger
   and trod them down in my wrath;
their blood spattered my garments,
   and I stained all my clothing.
⁴ It was for me the day of vengeance;
   the year for me to redeem had come.
⁵ I looked, but there was no one to help,
   I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm achieved salvation for me,
   and my own wrath sustained me.
⁶ I trampled the nations in my anger;
   in my wrath I made them drunk
   and poured their blood on the ground.”

Praise and Prayer

    ⁷ I will tell of the kindnesses 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
   he has done for Israel,
   according to his compassion and many kindnesses.
⁸ He said, “Surely they are my people,
   children who will be true to me”;
   and so he became their Savior.
⁹ In all their distress he too was distressed,
   and the angel of his presence saved them. Or Savior in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
   he lifted them up and carried them
   all the days of old.
¹⁰ Yet they rebelled
   and grieved his Holy Spirit.
So he turned and became their enemy
   and he himself fought against them.

    ¹¹ Then his people recalled Or But may he recall the days of old,
   the days of Moses and his people—
where is he who brought them through the sea,
   with the shepherd of his flock?
Where is he who set
   his Holy Spirit among them,
¹² who sent his glorious arm of power
   to be at Moses’ right hand,
who divided the waters before them,
   to gain for himself everlasting renown,
¹³ who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in open country,
   they did not stumble;
¹⁴ like cattle that go down to the plain,
   they were given rest 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 and see,
   from your lofty throne, holy and glorious.
Where are your zeal and your might?
   Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
¹⁶ But you are our Father,
   though Abraham does not know us
   or Israel acknowledge us;
you, LORD, are our Father,
   our Redeemer from of old is your name.
¹⁷ Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways
   and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?
Return for the sake of your servants,
   the tribes that are your inheritance.
¹⁸ For a little while your people possessed your holy place,
   but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
¹⁹ We are yours from of old;
   but you have not ruled over them,
   they have not been called Or We are like those you have never ruled, / like those never called by your name.

5. I looked, and there was none to help. Although the Jews were destitute of all assistance, and no one aided them by word or deed, yet he shews that the arm of the Lord is alone sufficient to punish enemies, and to set his people at liberty. He shews, therefore, that from God alone they ought to expect salvation, that they may not gaze around in every direction, but may have their eyes wholly fixed on God, who has no need of the assistance of others.

And I wondered. He represents God as amazed that there is none to stretch out a hand to him, when he wishes to execute his judgments, that he may impress more deeply on the minds of believers this doctrine, that God has no need of human aid, and that he is sufficient of himself for procuring salvation to his people. By this circumstance he magnifies still more the assistance which he had determined to render to his people, partly to correct their distrust, and partly to exhort them to gratitude in future; for God assumes a different character, when he says that he stood like one astonished; because this stupidity belonged literally to the Jews, who scarcely believed what could not be done by the power of men. With every assistance, therefore, he contrasts his own arm, with the invincible power of which he says that he will be satisfied, both that he may be seen to be their Savior, and that he may scatter and lay low all the wicked.