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The Bible is replete with singing. It is hard to read the Bible without encountering it. Job teaches that as God laid the foundations of the earth, the angels “sang together” and “shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). When Adam first beheld Eve, he composed what is essentially the first love song: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Gen. 2:23). And throughout its history, Israel sang to celebrate victories and festivals, to remember key events, and to give thanks for God’s blessings.
It should be no surprise, then, that Scripture encourages us to sing to God today. We should sing to Him because of who He is (Ps. 147:1, 5) and for His glory as Creator (Ps. 104:33). We should sing because of His mercies to us (Ps. 13:6) and in grateful praise for the salvation we know in Christ (Ps. 98:1). But perhaps the best reason to sing to God is that He Himself sings over His people. In Zephaniah 3:17, we read, “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.”
Notice that God’s singing marks His triumphant presence among His people: “The Lord your God is in your midst” (v. 17a). By contrast, in earlier verses, Zephaniah warned of God’s arrival to judge a rebellious people (see 1:7–18; 2:1–2; 3:8). But now the prophet promises a divine presence that will quell judgment, banish fear, and eradicate evil. This presence began in earnest when the Son of God took on flesh. It will be consummated when God dwells with His people in the new heavens and new earth.
Zephaniah also records that God’s singing flows from His own work of salvation. God sings as “a mighty one who will save” (3:17b). The Lord is not a quiet warrior. He sings as He saves. And why wouldn’t He? Through the gospel, God reveals His wisdom, righteousness, and glory to the world; He magnifies His Son; and He transforms sinners into true worshipers of His holy name.
Finally, the prophet declares that God sings over those whom He saves. This is the tenderest, the most surprising, and the most captivating reality of all. He will “exult over you with loud singing” (v. 17e). God sings over you, because of you. Christian, do you believe this? If you are weary or frustrated or discouraged today, remember that God is still delighting in what He is doing in your life and where it is all heading.
If heaven erupts with cheers when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7), imagine the ecstasy that will fill God’s throne room when God gathers to Himself all His blood-bought people, from every age, clothed in the beauty of His Son. As Christ presents the church in splendor, God’s singing will resound into eternity. Doesn’t it just make you want to sing?