Reflections on Zephaniah

Josiah reigned in royal pride
While Zephaniah prophesied
From every nation, west to east
The Lord will sweep both man and beast
Let every idol turn to ash
Let every totem fall and crash
Let those who worship sun and moon
Fall silent as they meet their doom


The Lord prepared a sacrifice
A day when men shall pay the price
For turning from the Lord Most High
To worship beasts and birds that fly
The princes shall be brought to nought
The traders who have sold and bought
But gave the Lord no passing thought
Shall give an answer in God’s court


That day will be a day of grief
A day of truth, not unbelief
A day of anger, ruin, trouble
Jerusalem reduced to rubble
Your precious houses turned to dust
Your wealth in which you put your trust
Your vineyards where you drank your wine
All burned to ash in that dread time


Like blind men seeking for some hope
The bloody wounded limp and grope
In search of healing for their grief
But on that day there’s no relief.


Before the coming of that day
Come, seek the Lord, do not delay
Before the wrath of God is shown
Before all nations weep and groan
With humble heart, come seek the Lord
In him find shelter from the sword
Before that dreadful day of grief
Come seek the Lord and find relief


Nowhere to run, no place to turn
Stand, watch God’s righteous anger burn
You seaside cities, start to weep
You shall be pasture for my sheep
Across the Jordan, Moab’s pride
Shall be laid waste and cast aside
In Ammon, Cush, Assyria
Destruction and hysteria


Your citadels of revelry
Your insults and your devilry
Shall turn to silent sobs of pain
For none shall build you up again
In Nineveh wild beasts shall prowl
A haunt for jackals, perch for fowl
And every passer-by shall mock
At Nineveh, the laughingstock


Jerusalem! Jerusalem!
This prophecy’s not just for them
Jerusalem, don’t be deceived
This word of God must be believed
With God no partiality
Excuses your iniquity
When every nation gives account
The witness stand you too must mount


Then from all corners of the earth
My worshippers with holy mirth
Shall gather to Jerusalem
The scattered shall be gathered then
The humble and the meek shall dwell
So, shout for joy, Oh Israel
Then fear, deceit and anxious pride
Shall cease, shall stop, be laid aside


The Lord has taken all your guilt
Jerusalem shall be rebuilt
The Lord, your God, your mighty King
Delights in you and he shall sing
A love-song full of joy, so sweet
The lame come dancing in the street
Come home, my people, come to me
And I shall fill your hearts with glee


Your honour then shall be restored
My blessing shall replace the sword
And on your fortunes you shall gaze
Your King shall always be your praise
The Lord will set rebuke aside
The Lord is always by your side
No harm shall ever make you fear
The Lord is by your side, so near


© Neil Rogers 2023