I love the various descriptions of our God in the Scriptures. In a chapter which begins with “Woe to Oppressive Jerusalem” and ends with “Promised Final Restoration,” there is a portrait of our Wonderful God.
Zephaniah 3:17: “Yahweh your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy.” [HCSB]
The NKJV renders it this way: “The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Do you see the beautiful depiction in this verse? Our God is among us, right in our midst. Jesus said, “remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:20 HCSB]
Our God has the power to save us. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.” [I Corinthians 1:18 HCSB]
I think of those two things as the background of this picture of our LORD and Savior. He is with us, and He saves us. But then look at the detail the author paints. Our God rejoices over us with gladness, He delights in us with shouts of joy (singing!)
In that beautiful chapter of the lost, Luke 15, Jesus tells his listeners that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents ….” [vs 7 HCSB]
We always think of the angels and saints rejoicing over the lost being saved, but Zephaniah reminds us that God Himself, Our Wonderful, Awesome Father delights in each salvation with shouting and singing.
And still our LORD God is not done. He quiets us with His love. He grants us peace. “And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:7 HCSB]
Our Wonderful Saving, Singing, Shouting GOD!
