Doubtless thou art our father, though {s} Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

(s) Though Abraham would refuse us to be his children, yet you will not refuse to be our father.

Wesley's Notes

63:16 Abraham - He who was our father after the flesh, though he be dead, and so ignorant of our condition. Redeemer - This is urged as another argument for pity; because their Father was their Redeemer. From everlasting - Thou hast been our Redeemer of old.

King James Translators' Notes

our redeemer...: or, our redeemer from everlasting is thy name

Scofield Reference Notes

[1] our Father

Cf. Isa 1:2 64:8. Israel, collectively, the national Israel, recognizes God as the national Father (cf) Ex 4:22,23, Doubtless the believing Israelite was born anew (cf) Jn 3:3,5 Lk 13:28 but the O.T. Scriptures show no trace of the consciousness of personal sonship. The explanation is given in Gal 4:1-7.

The Israelite, though a child, "differed nothing from a servant." The Spirit, as the "Spirit of His Son," could not be given to impart the consciousness of sonship until redemption had been accomplished. Gal 4:4-6 See "Adoption" Rom 8:15 Eph 1:5. See Scofield Note: "Eph 1:5".

Margin redeemer

Heb. "goel," Redemp. (Kinsman type).

See Scofield Note: "Isa 59:20"

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. thou . father-of Israel, by right not merely of creation, but also of electing adoption (Isa 64:8; De 32:6; 1Ch 29:10).

though Abraham . Israel-It had been the besetting temptation of the Jews to rest on the mere privilege of their descent from faithful Abraham and Jacob (Mt 3:9; Joh 8:39; 4:12); now at last they renounce this, to trust in God alone as their Father, notwithstanding all appearances to the contrary. Even though Abraham, our earthly father, on whom we have prided ourselves, disown us, Thou wilt not (Isa 49:15; Ps 27:10). Isaac is not mentioned, because not all his posterity was admitted to the covenant, whereas all Jacob's was; Abraham is specified because he was the first father of the Jewish race.

everlasting-an argument why He should help them, namely, because of His everlasting immutability.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

63:15-19 They beseech him to look down on the abject condition of their once-favoured nation. Would it not be glorious to his name to remove the veil from their hearts, to return to the tribes of his inheritance? The Babylonish captivity, and the after-deliverance of the Jews, were shadows of the events here foretold. The Lord looks down upon us in tenderness and mercy. Spiritual judgments are more to be dreaded than any other calamities; and we should most carefully avoid those sins which justly provoke the Lord to leave men to themselves and to their deceiver. Our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name; thy people have always looked upon thee as the God to whom they might appeal. The Lord will hear the prayers of those who belong to him, and deliver them from those not called by his name.