More Love

My spiritual director shared Zephaniah 3:17 with me last week as we were entering into a time focused on God. One line caught my attention: “With his love he will calm all your fears”. I really liked the idea of this and is sounded new and fresh to me. I didn't remember that being part of the verse. Why?

Well, because she read it in the New Living Translation and I was used to thinking about that verse from an old Bob Fitts chorus:
The Lord our God is with us
He is mighty to save.
His delight is in us
He renews with His love.
The Lord gives praise and honour
Taking all of our shame.
He rejoices over us with singing.
He rejoices over us with joy.
(I suspect that there are a few readers who are singing along with me now!)

In the song, the line is translated “He renews with His love”. While I like that idea too, it got me curious regarding the various translations. Here are four translations:

New International Version
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."

New Living Translation
For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

English Standard Version
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.”

New American Standard Bible
"The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”

Unlike most verses, there is a great variety in the translations of the phrase that I was initially drawn to.

NIV: “in his love he will no longer rebuke you”

NLT: “With his love, he will calm all your fears”

ESV: “he will quiet you by his love”

NASB: “He will be quiet in His love”

Obviously there is a range of meaning of the word translated “no longer rebuke”; “calm” and “quiet”. But can we see them as sides of the same thing? I think so.

All of them are grounded in God's love.  It doesn't really matter who is the one being quiet. If it is God, it is because He is not rebuking but rather just enjoying us. If it is us, it is because in His presence we are safe and secure. Our fears are calmed and we are at peace.

I encourage you to think about which translation speaks most to you right now.  I suspect that you may discover an invitation into a way of being with God that may seem unfamiliar to you.  Or maybe you will be open to a new appreciation for the depths of God's love for you.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

In God's love,
Tracy


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