The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
What does Zephaniah 3:17 mean?
After the promises of taking away sin, follow promises of taking away trouble. When the cause is removed, the effect will cease.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Zephaniah 3:16-17 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save - What can He then not do for thee, since He is Almighty? What will He not do for thee, since "He will save?" whom then should we fear? "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 . But then was He especially "in the midst of" us, when God "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and Truth" John 1:14 . Thenceforth He ever is in the midst of His own.
Key words
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The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty,.
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The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty,.
Context in Zephaniah 3
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Zephaniah 3 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as purification and joy in Zion. Zephaniah combines severe day-of-the-Lord judgment with a tender closing vision of God rejoicing over a purified people. Read this chapter with the wider themes of day of the Lord, judgment, and humility in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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