Isaiah 63:6-16

6 "I 1trod down the peoples in My anger And made them 2drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

God's Ancient Mercies Recalled

7 I shall make mention of the 3lovingkindnesses of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, According to all that the LORD has granted us, And the great 4goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His 5compassion And according to the abundance of His lovingkindnesses.
8 For He said, "Surely, they are 6My people, Sons who will not deal falsely." So He became their 7Savior.
9 In all their affliction 8He was afflicted, And the 9angel of His presence saved them; In His 10love and in His mercy He 11redeemed them, And He 12lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they 13rebelled And grieved His 14Holy Spirit; Therefore He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.
11 Then 15His people remembered the days of old, of Moses. Where is 16He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of His flock? Where is He who 17put His Holy Spirit in the midst of them,
12 Who caused His 18glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who 19divided 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 20stumble;
14 As the cattle which go down into the valley, The Spirit of the 21LORD gave them rest. So You 22led Your people, To make for Yourself a glorious name.

``You Are Our Father"

15 23Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious 24habitation; Where are Your 25zeal and Your mighty deeds? The 26stirrings of Your heart and Your compassion are restrained toward me.
16 For You are our 27Father, though 28Abraham does not know us And Israel does not recognize us. You, O LORD, are our Father, Our 29Redeemer from of old is Your name.

Isaiah 63:6-16 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 29

  • 1. Isaiah 22:5; Isaiah 34:2; Isaiah 65:12
  • 2. Isaiah 29:9; Isaiah 51:17, 21
  • 3. Psalms 25:6; Psalms 92:2; Isaiah 54:8, 10
  • 4. 1 Kings 8:66; Nehemiah 9:25, 35
  • 5. Psalms 51:1; Psalms 86:5, 15; Isaiah 54:7, 8; Ephesians 2:4
  • 6. Exodus 6:7; Isaiah 3:15; Isaiah 51:4
  • 7. Isaiah 60:16
  • 8. Judges 10:16
  • 9. Exodus 23:20-23; Exodus 33:14, 15
  • 10. Deuteronomy 7:7, 8
  • 11. Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 52:9
  • 12. Deuteronomy 1:31; Deuteronomy 32:10-12; Isaiah 46:3
  • 13. Psalms 78:40; Psalms 106:33; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30
  • 14. Psalms 51:11; Isaiah 63:11
  • 15. Psalms 106:44, 45
  • 16. Isaiah 51:10
  • 17. Num 11:17, 25, 29; Haggai 2:5
  • 18. Exodus 6:6; Exodus 15:16
  • 19. Exodus 14:21, 22; Isaiah 11:15; Isaiah 51:10
  • 20. Jeremiah 31:9
  • 21. Joshua 21:44; Joshua 23:1
  • 22. Deuteronomy 32:12
  • 23. Deuteronomy 26:15; Psalms 80:14
  • 24. Psalms 68:5; Psalms 123:1
  • 25. Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 26:11; Isaiah 37:32; Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 59:17
  • 26. Jeremiah 31:20; Hosea 11:8
  • 27. Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 64:8
  • 28. Isaiah 29:22; Isaiah 41:8; Isaiah 51:2
  • 29. Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 60:16

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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