Christ’s victory over his enemies: his mercies to his people: their complaint.

¹ Who is this, who arrives from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah? This is the Handsome One in his robe, advancing by the fullness of his strength. It is I, the Speaker of Justice, and I am the Fighter for Salvation.¹

1. 63:1Edom: Edom and Bosra (a strong city of Edom) are here taken in a mystical sense for the enemies of Christ and his church.(Challoner)

² So then, why is your garment red, and why are your vestments like the ones of those who tread the winepress?

³ I have trod the winepress alone. And among the nations, there is no man beside me. I have trampled on them in my fury, and I have tread them down in my wrath. And so, their blood has been sprinkled on my vestments, and I have stained all my garments.

⁴ For the day of vengeance is in my heart. The year of my redemption has arrived.

⁵ I gazed around, and there was no one to assist. I sought, and there was no one who would help. And so, my own arm has saved for me, and my own wrath itself has assisted me.

⁶ And I have trampled the peoples in my fury, and I have inebriated them with my indignation, and I have torn down their strength to the ground.

⁷ I will remember the compassion of the Lord, the praise of the Lord over all that the Lord has bestowed on us, and over the multitude of his good things for the house of Israel, which he has granted to them according to his leniency, and according to the multitude of his mercies.

⁸ And he said: “Yet truly, these are my people, sons who have not been disowned.” And he became their Savior.

⁹ Throughout all their tribulation, he was not troubled, for the Angel of his presence saved them. With his love, and by his leniency, he has redeemed them, and he has carried them and lifted them up, throughout all the days of the ages.

¹⁰ But they themselves provoked to wrath and afflicted his Holy Spirit, and he was turned to be for them like an enemy, and he himself went to war against them.

¹¹ And he remembered the days of ancient times, the days of Moses and his people. Where is he who led them out of the sea, with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who placed his Holy Spirit in their midst?

¹² He led Moses by the right hand, with the arm of his majesty. He split the waters before them, in order to make an everlasting name for himself.

¹³ He led them through the abyss, like a horse which does not stumble, in the desert.

¹⁴ Like an animal who descends to an open field, the Spirit of the Lord was their guide. Thus did you lead your people, in order to make a glorious name for yourself.

¹⁵ Gaze down from heaven, and behold from your holy habitation and from your glory. Where is your zeal, and your strength, the fullness of your heart and of your compassion? They have held themselves back from me.¹

1. 63:15They have held back, etc: This is spoken by the prophet in the person of the Jews at the time when, for their sins, they were given up to their enemies.(Challoner)

¹⁶ For you are our Father, and Abraham has not known us, and Israel has been ignorant of us. You are our Father, O Lord our Redeemer. Your name is beyond all ages.¹

1. 63:16Abraham has not known us, etc: That is, Abraham will not now acknowledge us for his children, by reason of our degeneracy; but you, O Lord, are our true father and our redeemer, and no other can be called our parent in comparison with you.(Challoner)

¹⁷ Why have you allowed us to stray from your ways, O Lord? Why have you hardened our heart, so that we do not fear you? Return, for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance.¹

1. 63:17Made us to err, etc. Hardened our heart, etc: The meaning is, that God in punishment of their great and manifold crimes, and their long abuse of his mercy and grace, had withdrawn his graces from them, and so given them up to error and hardness of heart.(Challoner)

¹⁸ They have possessed your holy people as if it were nothing. Our enemies have trampled your sanctuary.

¹⁹ We have become as we were in the beginning, when you did not rule over us, and when we were not called by your name.