Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
The verse calls the daughter of Zion, Israel, and the daughter of Jerusalem to sing and shout and be glad and rejoice with all the heart. Their joy rests on what the Lord has done in taking away their judgments, driving out their enemy, and dwelling in their midst as King and mighty Savior, so that they will see evil no more and need fear no evil. The Lord himself rejoices over them with joy, rests in his love, and joys over them with singing. Those called to this joy are a purified, afflicted and poor remnant who trust in the name of the Lord, do no iniquity and speak no lies, gathered and saved and honored and brought back from captivity and shame after judgment. This praise is the testimony God purposes his people to bear before the nations, and it will be fully sung as the triumph song in the day of final victory in the conflict between good and evil.
Grounds for Wholehearted Joy
The call is to the daughter of Zion, to Israel, and to the daughter of Jerusalem to sing, to shout, and to be glad and rejoice with all the heart. It is wholehearted joy, with the heart fully engaged in singing and shouting. The joy is grounded in what the Lord has done: He has taken away their judgments, has cast out and driven out their enemy, and dwells in their midst as their King and mighty Savior. Because He is present among them as King, they shall see evil no more, need fear no evil, and have safety and deliverance.
The Lord Himself rejoices over His people with joy, rests in His love, and joys over them with singing. His singing over them answers and completes their singing to Him. The rejoicing belongs to joyful restoration and triumph after judgment, when He gathers, saves, honors, and brings back from captivity and shame those who were sorrowful, afflicted, or driven away. It is deliverance with the distress ended, the triumph of God's people after judgment.
Those called to rejoice are a purified, afflicted and poor remnant who trust in the name of the Lord. They do no iniquity and speak no lies, and they feed and lie down with none to make them afraid. This comes after God punishes every deceitful, lying tongue that caused His people to err and turn from the righteousness of Christ. The passage presents God's welcome as that of a loving Father who receives the returning sinner with yearning love and prepares a joyful welcome, rather than meeting the sinner with angry accusations.
Joy Proclaimed and Fulfilled
The singing, shouting, and wholehearted gladness commanded to the daughter of Zion, Israel, and the daughter of Jerusalem is the position God purposes His people to occupy before the nations of the earth. It is the testimony He desires borne to the world, with His praise continually in their hearts and upon their lips. Their gladness and thanksgiving testify to His goodness and salvation and show that the Lord as helper is present among them and mighty to save. The reason for joy is that He has removed judgments, driven out the enemy, and dwells among them as mighty King who saves.
Such continual praise influences others by turning them from self-indulgent efforts to secure happiness and showing them something better than what they seek. As Jesus did not reprove the Samaritan woman for coming to draw from Jacob's well but presented the fountain of living waters of far greater value, so joyful testimony presents a better portion to those seeking happiness.
As a covenant people of praise whom He can bless and honor, their praise is joined to unity, faithfulness to His honor, and careful care for one another's interests. They use the resources and advantages entrusted to them to serve one another and to carry out His work. God may then grant them greater temporal and spiritual blessings and honor them above those who transgress His law.
The word to fear not and let not the hands be slack is a call not to slacken the work of saving souls. There is singing, shouting, and wholehearted rejoicing over every soul that believers have been instrumental in saving to Christ, because one soul saved causes great joy in heaven. Those who realize the nearness of the Lord's coming and act their faith become one in mind and heart with the heavenly intelligences, and unitedly take the Lord's own substance to lift the burdens resting on His languishing institutions, with the Lord cooperating with them.
When with firm resolve the world is renounced and Christ is chosen, stepping from under the black banner of Satan to stand under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, a great moral revival and spiritual revolution begins with reformation of thoughts, words, and actions. A soul is thereby saved from death, and there is great joy in heaven.
The command to sing and shout and rejoice with all the heart will be fully sung as the triumph song in the day of final victory in the conflict between good and evil. Then harps of angels will send forth precious music to accompany the melody of the voice. All the heavenly universe and the inhabitants of unfallen worlds and heavenly courts, who watch the conflict with intense interest, will join in it. They rejoice even now whenever Satan's subtleties are discerned and met with It is written, as Christ met the wily foe, and every victory gained becomes a gem in the crown of life.
The verse calls the daughter of Zion, Israel, and the daughter of Jerusalem to sing and shout and be glad and rejoice with all the heart. Their joy rests on what the Lord has done in taking away their judgments, driving out their enemy, and dwelling in their midst as King and mighty Savior, so that they will see evil no more and need fear no evil. The Lord himself rejoices over them with joy, rests in his love, and joys over them with singing. Those called to this joy are a purified, afflicted and poor remnant who trust in the name of the Lord, do no iniquity and speak no lies, gathered and saved and honored and brought back from captivity and shame after judgment. This praise is the testimony God purposes his people to bear before the nations, and it will be fully sung as the triumph song in the day of final victory in the conflict between good and evil.
Grounds for Wholehearted Joy
The call is to the daughter of Zion, to Israel, and to the daughter of Jerusalem to sing, to shout, and to be glad and rejoice with all the heart. It is wholehearted joy, with the heart fully engaged in singing and shouting. The joy is grounded in what the Lord has done: He has taken away their judgments, has cast out and driven out their enemy, and dwells in their midst as their King and mighty Savior. Because He is present among them as King, they shall see evil no more, need fear no evil, and have safety and deliverance.
The Lord Himself rejoices over His people with joy, rests in His love, and joys over them with singing. His singing over them answers and completes their singing to Him. The rejoicing belongs to joyful restoration and triumph after judgment, when He gathers, saves, honors, and brings back from captivity and shame those who were sorrowful, afflicted, or driven away. It is deliverance with the distress ended, the triumph of God's people after judgment.
Those called to rejoice are a purified, afflicted and poor remnant who trust in the name of the Lord. They do no iniquity and speak no lies, and they feed and lie down with none to make them afraid. This comes after God punishes every deceitful, lying tongue that caused His people to err and turn from the righteousness of Christ. The passage presents God's welcome as that of a loving Father who receives the returning sinner with yearning love and prepares a joyful welcome, rather than meeting the sinner with angry accusations.
Joy Proclaimed and Fulfilled
The singing, shouting, and wholehearted gladness commanded to the daughter of Zion, Israel, and the daughter of Jerusalem is the position God purposes His people to occupy before the nations of the earth. It is the testimony He desires borne to the world, with His praise continually in their hearts and upon their lips. Their gladness and thanksgiving testify to His goodness and salvation and show that the Lord as helper is present among them and mighty to save. The reason for joy is that He has removed judgments, driven out the enemy, and dwells among them as mighty King who saves.
Such continual praise influences others by turning them from self-indulgent efforts to secure happiness and showing them something better than what they seek. As Jesus did not reprove the Samaritan woman for coming to draw from Jacob's well but presented the fountain of living waters of far greater value, so joyful testimony presents a better portion to those seeking happiness.
As a covenant people of praise whom He can bless and honor, their praise is joined to unity, faithfulness to His honor, and careful care for one another's interests. They use the resources and advantages entrusted to them to serve one another and to carry out His work. God may then grant them greater temporal and spiritual blessings and honor them above those who transgress His law.
The word to fear not and let not the hands be slack is a call not to slacken the work of saving souls. There is singing, shouting, and wholehearted rejoicing over every soul that believers have been instrumental in saving to Christ, because one soul saved causes great joy in heaven. Those who realize the nearness of the Lord's coming and act their faith become one in mind and heart with the heavenly intelligences, and unitedly take the Lord's own substance to lift the burdens resting on His languishing institutions, with the Lord cooperating with them.
When with firm resolve the world is renounced and Christ is chosen, stepping from under the black banner of Satan to stand under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, a great moral revival and spiritual revolution begins with reformation of thoughts, words, and actions. A soul is thereby saved from death, and there is great joy in heaven.
The command to sing and shout and rejoice with all the heart will be fully sung as the triumph song in the day of final victory in the conflict between good and evil. Then harps of angels will send forth precious music to accompany the melody of the voice. All the heavenly universe and the inhabitants of unfallen worlds and heavenly courts, who watch the conflict with intense interest, will join in it. They rejoice even now whenever Satan's subtleties are discerned and met with It is written, as Christ met the wily foe, and every victory gained becomes a gem in the crown of life.