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Zephaniah 3:17
God Rejoices Over Us
Zephaniah 3:17
Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
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Why it is worth knowing
- God is not a distant observer: he is “among you”
- God rejoices over his people with gladness and singing: his delight is active
- “He will calm you in his love”: his love is a calming, settling presence
- This verse shows that the relationship with God is mutual: we rejoice in him, he rejoices in us
Where it sits: Zephaniah 3:16-17
In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
Hear the passage it sits in, sung word for word, on BibleDo's Zephaniah page.
Background
Zephaniah is a minor prophet whose book is largely occupied with judgment: making this closing passage all the more remarkable. After chapters of warning, the book ends with God singing over his restored people. The word “rejoice” here describes jubilant celebration: the kind of joy expressed in dancing and shouting. The image of God singing over his people is one of the most tender in Scripture. It reverses the shame and fear described in the earlier chapters: the God who judged now rejoices. This verse became especially beloved to people who struggled to believe God could delight in them.