I am most familiar with the King James Version of the Bible. Growing up, it was the “official” Bible for our church use. The old English is comforting to me but sometimes I can become so familiar with a text that I miss some of the application. I ran across a newer translation of Isaiah 62:4 quoted in a Biblical fiction novel. The text struck me with its meaning.

The King James as I am familiar with it:

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken;
neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate:
but thou shalt be called Hephzibah,
and thy land Beulah:
for the Lord delighteth in thee,
and thy land shall be married.
(KJV)

The NIV, which translates similiarly:

No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married.
(NIV)

And the newer translation that touched me so much:

It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,”
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”;
But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”
And your land, “Married”;
For the Lord delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married.
(NASB)

The text is speaking of Israel after the nation had wandered away from God. I wonder if it can be personally applied to me.

Could it be understood like this?

“Cassandra, it will no longer be said to you, ‘forsaken.’
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, ‘desolate’;
But you will be called, “Cassandra, My delight is in her,’
And your land, ‘Married”;
For the Lord delights in you, Cassandra,
And to Him your land will be married.”

Is it possible the Lord delights in me? Fallen, often melancholy, sometimes judgmental, me? He delights in me?

I believe He does.

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.
Zephaniah 3:17, NASB

What a wonderous God we serve!