Daily devotional · June 18
Sung Over by God
“Sing for joy, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp. The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.””
We usually picture ourselves singing to God, but this passage flips the image: the Lord your God delights in you, quiets you with his love, and rejoices over you with singing. Imagine that. The God who holds the universe sings over his people the way a parent sings to a restless child. The prophet says this to a people who had failed badly. The message is not that they earned it, but that God's joy is rooted in who he is. Many of us carry a quiet belief that God is mostly disappointed. This verse invites a different picture. Today, take a moment of stillness and say to yourself that God is glad to be with you. If it feels difficult to believe, tell him so honestly. Then thank him for one way he has shown gentleness.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for delighting in me. Quiet my heart with your love today.