God Will Sing! – The Presidential Prayer Team

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. – Zephaniah 3:17

Some of the most intense images of God are found in the little book of Zephaniah. Two major aspects of God’s character—His love and His justice—are wound together in a message of hope for the people of Israel in that day and for the future of the world. The book ultimately focuses on the new Jerusalem and the Day of the Lord, when God will be with them and the whole earth will be transformed by His mercy as Jerusalem, all Israel, and the nations are purified of their sins.

Once this happens, theologian Matthew Henry says, “The conversion of sinners and the consolation of saints are the joy of angels, for they are the joy of God himself. … The great God not only loves his saints, but he loves to love them, is pleased that he has pitched upon these objects of his love. He will joy over them with singing. He that is grieved for the sin of sinners rejoices in the graces and services of the saints, and is ready to express that joy by singing over them. The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him, and in them Jesus Christ will shortly be glorified and admired.”

Do you know the joy of having your sins forgiven through acceptance of the gift of the atoning death of Jesus Christ? It is the sole criteria in order to be included in the assembly of saints on that great and glorious time when God sings over you in joy. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “God is so happy in the love which he bears to his people, that he breaks the eternal silence, and sun and moon and stars with astonishment hear God chanting a hymn of joy.” Praise Him for that day which is to come. Pray for a spiritual renewal in the United States, beginning among those in positions of authority.

Today’s Verse: Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Zephaniah 3:11-20

“On that day you shall not be put to shame
    because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;
for then I will remove from your midst
    your proudly exultant ones,
and you shall no longer be haughty
    in my holy mountain.
¹²But I will leave in your midst
    a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,
¹³    those who are left in Israel;
they shall do no injustice
    and speak no lies,
nor shall there be found in their mouth
    a deceitful tongue.
For they shall graze and lie down,
    and none shall make them afraid.”

¹⁴Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
    shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
    O daughter of Jerusalem!
¹⁵The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
    he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
    you shall never again fear evil.
¹⁶On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
    let not your hands grow weak.
¹⁷The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
¹⁸I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
    so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
¹⁹Behold, at that time I will deal
    with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
    and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
    and renown in all the earth.
²⁰At that time I will bring you in,
    at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
    among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
    before your eyes,” says the Lord.