A Prayer about the Prince of Hope

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I will restore to you double. Zechariah 9:12

Holy Lord,

Zephaniah and Zechariah have fierce warnings for your people 

about what will happen if they don’t repent of their rebellion 

and turn back to you.

 But these prophets also overflow with messages of your mercy 

that leave us shaking our heads in wonder 

at your gracious forgiveness. 

This passage begins with the familiar promise 

we hear at Easter:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

Righteous and having salvation is he,

Humble and mounted on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

We recognize this king as Jesus, our great Prince of Peace. 

As Pastor Scotty Smith says,

 Jesus is the “Prince of Hope” 

who brings the “Promise of Hope” 

who paid the “Price of Hope” 

that we might become “Prisoners of Hope.” 

For all who find themselves in waterless pits 

of worry, fear, or hopelessness today—

worried about children, 

fearful about finances, 

desperate for a cure,

hopeless about enslaving sin, 

may this profoundly good news remind us 

that in your mercy, 

we can never escape hope. 

You have redeemed us, 

and you will continue to heal and help us 

until the day of final restoration.

In Jesus’ Princely name. Amen. 

Read Zechariah 9:1-17.

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. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.