God’s Vengeance on the Nations

1Who is this that is come from Edom, with red garments from Bosor? thus fair in his apparel, with mighty strength? I speak of righteousness and saving judgment.

2Wherefore are thy garments red, and thy raiment as if fresh from a trodden winepress?

3I am full of trodden grape, and of the nations there is not a man with me; and I trampled them in my fury, and dashed them to pieces as earth, and brought down their blood to the earth.

4For the day of recompence has come upon them, and the year of redemption is at hand.

5And I looked, and there was no helper; and I observed, and none upheld: therefore my arm delivered them, and mine anger drew nigh.

6And I trampled them in mine anger, and brought down their blood to the earth.

God’s Mercies Recalled

7I remembered the mercy of the Lord, the praises of the Lord in all things wherein he recompenses us. The Lord is a good judge to the house of Israel; he deals with us according to his mercy, and according to the abundance of his righteousness.

8And he said, Is it not my people? the children surely will not be rebellious: and he became to them deliverance

9out of all their affliction: not an ambassador, nor a messenger, but himself saved them, because he loved them and spared them: he himself redeemed them, and took them up, and lifted them up all the days of old.

10But they disobeyed, and provoked his Holy Spirit: so he turned to be an enemy, he himself contended against them.

11Then he remembered the ancient days, saying, Where is he that brought up from the sea the shepherd of the sheep? where is he that put his Holy Spirit in them?

12who led Moses with his right hand, the arm of his glory? he forced the water to separate from before him, to make himself an everlasting name.

13He led them through the deep, as a horse through the wilderness, and they fainted not,

14and as cattle through a plain: the Spirit came down from the Lord, and guided them: thus thou leddest thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.

A Prayer for Mercy

15Turn from heaven, and look from thy holy habitation and from thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength? where is the abundance of thy mercy and of thy compassions, that thou hast withholden thyself from us?

16For thou art our Father; for though Abraham knew us not, and Israel did not acknowledge us, yet do thou, O Lord, our Father, deliver us: thy name has been upon us from the beginning.

17Why hast thou caused us to err, O Lord, from thy way? and has hardened our hearts, that we should not fear thee? Return for thy servants' sake, for the sake of the tribes of thine inheritance,

18that we may inherit a small part of thy holy mountain.

19We are become as at the beginning, when thou didst not rule over us, and thy name was not called upon us.