Isaiah 63:4-14

4 "For the 1day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come.
5 "I looked, and there was 2no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My 3own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me.
6 "I 4trod down the peoples in My anger And made them 5drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

God's Ancient Mercies Recalled

7 I shall make mention of the 6lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, According to all that the LORD has granted us, And the great 7goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His 8compassion And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, "Surely, they are 9My people, Sons who will not deal falsely." So He became their 10Savior.
9 In all their affliction 11He was afflicted, And the 12angel of His presence saved them; In His 13love and in His mercy He 14redeemed them, And He 15lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they 16rebelled And grieved His 17Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.
11 Then 18His people remembered the days of old, of Moses. Where is 19He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who 20put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,
12 Who caused His 21glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who 22divided the waters before * them to make for Himself an everlasting name,
13 Who led them through the depths? Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not 23stumble;
14 As the cattle which go down into the valley, The Spirit of the 24LORD gave them rest. So You 25led Your people, To make for Yourself a glorious name.

Isaiah 63:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 63

This chapter contains a prophecy of the vengeance of Christ upon the enemies of his church in the latter day, whereby complete salvation would be obtained for them; and this illustrated by the mercies of God to the people of Israel of old; and is concluded with the church s prayer to him. The account of the vengeance taken by Christ on his enemies is introduced by a colloquy between him and his church; who puts a question, in which he is described by the places from whence he came, by his apparel, and by his manner of walking; to which he returns an answer, Isa 63:1, then a second question is put, about the colour of his garments; for which he gives a reason, Isa 63:2,3 it being the time of his vengeance on his enemies, and of the redemption of his people, Isa 63:4 the manner in which he performed both is observed, Isa 63:5 and the thorough work he would make; and the entire riddance of all his enemies is determined upon, Isa 63:6, which puts the prophet, or the church, in mind of former mercies bestowed upon Israel of old, the peculiar people and children of God, the Lord had a great opinion of, and favour for, whom he dealt very tenderly with, and redeemed, and saved, and preserved, Isa 63:7-9 though they acted an ungrateful part to him, which is aggravated by the various kind steps of Providence, in leading them through the Red sea, guiding them in the wilderness, and bringing them to rest safely in Canaan's land, for his own glory, Isa 63:10-14 and all is closed with the church's prayer to God, imploring his grace and mercy; pleading relation to him; expostulating with him about their present case, and observing the difference between them and their enemies, Isa 63:15-19 and which prayer is continued in the next chapter.

Cross References 25

  • 1. Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 35:4; Isaiah 61:2; Jeremiah 51:6
  • 2. Isaiah 59:16
  • 3. Psalms 44:3; Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 52:10
  • 4. Isaiah 22:5; Isaiah 34:2; Isaiah 65:12
  • 5. Isaiah 29:9; Isaiah 51:17, 21
  • 6. Psalms 25:6; Psalms 92:2; Isaiah 54:8, 10
  • 7. 1 Kings 8:66; Nehemiah 9:25, 35
  • 8. Psalms 51:1; Psalms 86:5, 15; Isaiah 54:7, 8; Ephesians 2:4
  • 9. Exodus 6:7; Isaiah 3:15; Isaiah 51:4
  • 10. Isaiah 60:16
  • 11. Judges 10:16
  • 12. Exodus 23:20-23; Exodus 33:14, 15
  • 13. Deuteronomy 7:7, 8
  • 14. Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 52:9
  • 15. Deuteronomy 1:31; Deuteronomy 32:10-12; Isaiah 46:3
  • 16. Psalms 78:40; Psalms 106:33; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30
  • 17. Psalms 51:11; Isaiah 63:11
  • 18. Psalms 106:44, 45
  • 19. Isaiah 51:10
  • 20. Num 11:17, 25, 29; Haggai 2:5
  • 21. Exodus 6:6; Exodus 15:16
  • 22. Exodus 14:21, 22; Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 51:10
  • 23. Jeremiah 31:9
  • 24. Joshua 21:44; Joshua 23:1
  • 25. Deuteronomy 32:12

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Lit "brought down their juice to the earth"
  • [b]. Another reading is "He was not an adversary"
  • [c]. Some mss read "shepherd"
  • [d]. Lit "him"
  • [e]. Lit "him"
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