Year of the Bible

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Overview of the Book of Isaiah Chapter 63: Victory at the End

The previous oracle sang of the glory of the new Jerusalem and the prospect of its savior’s imminent arrival (cf. 62:11). Now at last the Lord comes as a conqueror and a Judge to dispense rewards and punishments. There are a number of oracles here to do with this theme, and they combine to create a long and beautiful apocalyptic poem. God is twice invoked in urgent tones as the Father of Israel (63:16; 64:8). This is one of the most eloquent Old Testament passages about God’s tender fatherly feelings towards his people. The author of the poem is fully confident that the Lord’s fatherly heart will be sensitive towards everything his people suffer, even though they brought it on themselves (64:3–6). He beseeches God for help (63:17–19), even asking for a spectacular miracle (64:1).

Read: The Book of Isaiah Chapter 63: Vengeance on Enemies, God’s Mercy Recounted and Sought:

1 Who 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.”

2 Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like his who 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 clothing.
4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and my year of redemption has come.
5 I 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.
6 I trod down the peoples in my anger,
I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

7 I will recount the merciful 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.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people,
sons who will not deal falsely;
and he became their Savior.
9 In 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.

10 But they rebelled
and grieved his holy Spirit;
therefore he turned to be their enemy,
and himself fought against them.
11 Then 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,
12 who 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,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble.
14 Like cattle that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.
So you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.

15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and glorious habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
The yearning of your heart and your compassion
are withheld from me.
16 For you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O LORD, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O LORD, why do you make us err from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 Your holy people possessed your sanctuary a little while;
our adversaries have trodden it down.
19 We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
like those who are not called by your name.

Daily Lectio Divina Question for Today:

Because God is “our Father, our Redeemer,” He hates sin and wages war against it. Lord, You who are “mighty to save,” show me your heart for me in the midst of my struggles. 

Scripture text courtesy of the Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006). Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this. If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further

Overview commentary above provided by The Navarre Bible; Major Prophets; James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy, and Thomas McGovern, eds. (New York: Four Courts Press; Scepter Publishers, 2005)