Isaiah 63:11-64:5 (Holy Saturday Vespers)

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Isaiah 63:11-64:5 (Holy Saturday Vespers)

Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses his servant. Where is he who brought up out of the sea the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his holy Spirit,  who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name,  who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble.  Like cattle that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So thou didst lead thy people, to make for thyself a glorious name.  Look down from heaven and see, from thy holy and glorious habitation. Where are thy zeal and thy might? The yearning of thy heart and thy compassion are withheld from me.  For thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; thou, O LORD, art our Father, our Redeemer from of old is thy name.  O LORD, why dost thou make us err from thy ways and harden our heart, so that we fear thee not? Return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy heritage.  Thy holy people possessed thy sanctuary a little while; our adversaries have trodden it down.  We have become like those over whom thou hast never ruled, like those who are not called by thy name. 

O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence —  as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil — to make thy name known to thy adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at thy presence!  When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence.  From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him.  Thou meetest him that joyfully works righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. Behold, thou wast angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?