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!”

2What 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.

4I 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.

6In my fury I trampled on nations

and made them drunk;

their blood poured out

everywhere on earth.”

The Lord's Goodness to His People

7I 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.

8The Lord rescued his people,

and said, “They are mine.

They won't betray me.”

9It 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.

10Then the Lord's people

turned against him and made

his Holy Spirit sad.

So he became their enemy

and attacked them.

11But 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.

13He led his people across

like horses running wild

without stumbling.

14His 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

15Please, 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.

17Why 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.

18For a little while,

your temple belonged to us;+

and now our enemies

have torn it down.

19We act as though you

had never ruled us

or called us your people.