The Lord's Victory over the Nations
1 Who is this coming
from Bozrah in Edom
with clothes stained red?
Who is this hero marching
in his glorious uniform?
“It's me, the Lord!
I have won the battle,
and I can save you!”
2 What are those red spots?
Your clothes look stained
from trampling on grapes.
3 “I alone trampled the grapes!
None of the nations helped.
I trampled nations in my anger
and stained my clothes
with their blood.
4 I did this because I wanted
to take revenge—
the time had come
to rescue my people.
5 No one was there to help me
or to give support;
my mighty arm won the battle,
strengthened by my anger.
6 In my fury I trampled on nations
and made them drunk;
their blood poured out
everywhere on earth.”
The Lord's Goodness to His People
7 I will tell about the kind deeds
the Lord has done.
They deserve praise!
The Lord has shown mercy
to the people of Israel;
he has been kind and good.
8 The Lord rescued his people,
and said, “They are mine.
They won't betray me.”
9 It troubled the Lord
to see them in trouble,
and his angel saved them.
The Lord was truly merciful,
so he rescued his people.
He took them in his arms
and carried them all those years.
10 Then the Lord's people
turned against him and made
his Holy Spirit sad.
So he became their enemy
and attacked them.
11 But his people remembered
what had happened
during the time of Moses.
Didn't the Lord bring them
and their leaders
safely through the sea?
Didn't he give them
his Holy Spirit?
12 The glorious power of the Lord
marched beside Moses.
The Lord will be praised forever
for dividing the sea.
13 He led his people across
like horses running wild
without stumbling.
14 His Spirit gave them rest,
just as cattle find rest
when led into a valley.
The name of the Lord was praised
for doing these things.
A Prayer for Mercy and Help
15 Please, Lord, look down
from your holy and glorious
home in the heavens
and see what's going on.
Have you lost interest?
Where is your power?
Show that you care about us
and have mercy!
16 Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob
have both rejected us.
But you are still our Father;
you have been our protector
since ancient times.
17 Why did you make us turn away
from you, our Lord?
Why did you make us want
to disobey you?
Please change your mind!
We are your servants,
your very own people.
18 For a little while,
your temple belonged to us;
and now our enemies
have torn it down.
19 We act as though you
had never ruled us
or called us your people.
The Lord's Victory over the Nations
1 “Who is this coming from the city of Bozrah in Edom? Who is this so splendidly dressed in red, marching along in power and strength?”
It is the Lord, powerful to save, coming to announce his victory.
2 “Why is his clothing so red, like that of someone who tramples grapes to make wine?”
3 The Lord answers, “I have trampled the nations like grapes, and no one came to help me. I trampled them in my anger, and their blood has stained all my clothing. 4 I decided that the time to save my people had come; it was time to punish their enemies. 5 I was amazed when I looked and saw that there was no one to help me. But my anger made me strong, and I won the victory myself. 6 In my anger I trampled whole nations and shattered them. I poured out their lifeblood on the ground.”
The Lord's Goodness to Israel
7 I will tell of the Lord's unfailing love;
I praise him for all he has done for us.
He has richly blessed the people of Israel
because of his mercy and constant love.
8 The Lord said, “They are my people; they will not deceive me.” And so he saved them 9 from all their suffering. It was not an angel, but the Lord himself who saved them. In his love and compassion he rescued them. He had always taken care of them in the past, 10 but they rebelled against him and made his holy spirit sad. So the Lord became their enemy and fought against them.
11 But then they remembered the past, the days of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and they asked, “Where now is the Lord, who saved the leaders of his people from the sea? Where is the Lord, who gave his spirit to Moses? 12-13 Where is the Lord, who by his power did great things through Moses, dividing the waters of the sea and leading his people through the deep water, to win everlasting fame for himself?”
Led by the Lord, they were as sure-footed as wild horses, and never stumbled. 14 As cattle are led into a fertile valley, so the Lord gave his people rest. He led his people and brought honor to his name.
A Prayer for Mercy and Help
15 Lord, look upon us from heaven, where you live in your holiness and glory. Where is your great concern for us? Where is your power? Where are your love and compassion? Do not ignore us. 16 You are our father. Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob do not acknowledge us, but you, Lord, are our father, the one who has always rescued us. 17 Why do you let us stray from your ways? Why do you make us so stubborn that we turn away from you? Come back, for the sake of those who serve you, for the sake of the people who have always been yours.
18 We, your holy people, were driven out by our enemies for a little while; they trampled down your sanctuary. 19 You treat us as though you had never been our ruler, as though we had never been your people.