There are certain passages in Scripture that cause us to pause—not merely for explanation, but out of reverence. Isaiah 63:9 is one of those verses. It reveals a side of God we too easily overlook. We know He is mighty. We affirm He is sovereign. But here, Isaiah pulls back the curtain to show us a God who enters into the pain of His people. Not distantly. Not reluctantly. But personally.

“In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” — Isaiah 63:9 (BSB)

The God Who Shares Our Pain

“In all their distress, He too was afflicted.” Let those words linger for a moment. The Holy One of Israel is not detached from the suffering of His own. He does not look down from heaven with mere pity. He shares in the sorrow. When His people were in anguish, He was not aloof. He felt their pain. He grieved with them. The imagery echoes the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, where the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people… and I have heard their cry” (Exodus 3:7). But Isaiah takes it even deeper—He was afflicted in their affliction.

The Presence That Saves

The “Angel of His Presence” mentioned here brings to mind those mysterious appearances of the Lord Himself—guiding, protecting, and delivering. This isn’t just any angel. This is the presence of God active among His people. Some have seen in this phrase a foreshadowing of Christ—the One who would take on flesh and bear our griefs, who would be “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). Whether in the desert wanderings of Israel or in the darkness of Gethsemane, the truth remains: our God enters into suffering for the sake of redemption.

Carried by Love

And that redemption is described in tender terms. “In His love and compassion He redeemed them.” Not out of obligation. Not merely from a sense of justice. But because His heart moved toward His people. He lifted them up. He carried them. As a father lifts a child too weary to walk. As a shepherd carries a lamb that cannot find its way.

This verse is a vivid reminder that the character of God is not only righteous and powerful but deeply personal and full of compassion. The God who judges sin is the same God who enters the fire to walk with the afflicted. He does not send help from afar—He becomes our help.

How does this truth meet you today? If you are walking through sorrow or feeling overwhelmed, Isaiah 63:9 declares that you are not alone. God is not just aware—He is with you. And more than that, He carries you.

For further reflection: Deuteronomy 1:31 – “There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…”