Read & explore together
God’s Mercies Recalled
Isaiah 63:7–14 remembers Yahweh’s kindness, rescue, and care for his people, then names their rebellion. The passage teaches by looking back at what Yahweh gave and at how he responded when his people turned against him.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
The speaker says he will tell of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses and praises. These verses look back to Yahweh’s goodness toward the house of Israel, including saving, redeeming, leading, and giving rest. They also state that the people rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 63:7–14Main takeaway
This passage calls readers to remember Yahweh’s many mercies and to take seriously the rebellion that grieves him.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Telling Yahweh’s kindnessesThe passage opens with a decision to speak about Yahweh’s loving kindnesses, praises, great goodness, mercies, and many kindnesses toward Israel.
Explanation
The passage opens with a decision to speak about Yahweh’s loving kindnesses, praises, great goodness, mercies, and many kindnesses toward Israel. The stress falls on what Yahweh has given. From the start, the passage is an act of remembering and declaring his goodness.
02Yahweh saved and carried his peopleYahweh says they are his people, and he became their Saviour. Their rescue is described warmly: in their affliction he was afflicted, the angel of his presence saved them, and in love and pity he redeemed them.
Explanation
Yahweh says they are his people, and he became their Saviour. Their rescue is described warmly: in their affliction he was afflicted, the angel of his presence saved them, and in love and pity he redeemed them. He also bore and carried them through the days of old.
03Rebellion changed the situationThe passage then states that the people rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. Because of this, Yahweh turned and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them.
Explanation
The passage then states that the people rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. Because of this, Yahweh turned and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them. These words make clear that the passage remembers mercy, but it also plainly names rebellion and its consequences.
04Remembering Yahweh’s mighty leadingThe final verses ask where the one is who brought them up out of the sea, put his Holy Spirit among them, caused his glorious arm to act by Moses, divided the waters, led them through the depths, and gave them rest.
Explanation
The final verses ask where the one is who brought them up out of the sea, put his Holy Spirit among them, caused his glorious arm to act by Moses, divided the waters, led them through the depths, and gave them rest. Yahweh led his people to make himself a glorious name.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Which words in these verses emphasise Yahweh’s kindness?
Notice the repeated terms for his care, such as loving kindnesses, goodness, mercies, love, pity, redeemed, bore, and carried.
02What action by the people changed the relationship described here?
Compare Yahweh becoming their Saviour with the statement that they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit.
03What acts of Yahweh are remembered in the closing verses?
List the actions named: bringing them up out of the sea, dividing waters, leading them through the depths, and causing them to rest.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Isaiah 63:7–14
7I will tell of the loving kindnesses of Yahweh and the praises of Yahweh, according to all that Yahweh has given to us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has given to them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
8For he said, “Surely, they are my people, children who will not deal falsely;” so he became their Savior.
9In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore them, and carried them all the days of old.
10But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. Therefore he turned and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them.
11Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, “Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put his Holy Spirit among them?”
12Who caused his glorious arm to be at Moses’ right hand? Who divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
13Who led them through the depths, like a horse in the wilderness, so that they didn’t stumble?
14As the livestock that go down into the valley, Yahweh’s Spirit caused them to rest. So you led your people to make yourself a glorious name.