How appropriate that on the morning of our fall hymn sing we come to Zephaniah 3 in our sermon series. In it, the prophet commands us to sing (“Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion”) and gives us a picture of God Himself singing to us (“He will exult over you with loud singing”). Nearly every hymn and psalm in this morning’s service mentions some aspect of singing. Right at the beginning, we are told to “lift up thy voice” (The Lord Is King), and we are invited to “join to sing” with “loud praise to Christ our king” (Come, Christians, Join To Sing). From the psalms, we respond to the Lord that we will “sing of [His] power and grace” (The King In Your Strength Shall Be Glad—Psalm 21) and that He has “made [our] singing joyful,” filling it with “sweet melodious praises” (It Is Good To Sing Your Praises—Psalm 92). We sing to God and to the Lamb while millions join the theme (What Wondrous Love Is This). We hear the “sweet, though far off hymn” (perhaps a poetic allusion to God’s singing?) echoing in our soul (How Can I Keep From Singing), and we ask for the Holy Spirit to tune our hearts to sing His grace (Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing). We sing because the Lord rejoices over us with gladness (Zephaniah 3:17). Yes, He has taken away the judgement against us and cleared away our foes; but more than that, He takes pleasure in His people (Psalm 149:4). That is our story, and that is our song. —Henry C. Haffner
Key Words: Sing, Rejoice, Gladness, Love, Midst, Judgments, Fear, Save, Quiet
Keystone Verse: 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)
Zephaniah 3:14-17
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of
Jerusalem! 15 The 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. 16 On that day it shall be
said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 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.