Joy, of Israel

Joy is characteristic of Israel's corporate worship, especially the great festivals.

Joy expressed in and through Israel's life of worship

Psalm 100:1–4 See also Numbers 10:10; Deuteronomy 27:6–7; Psalm 98:4–6, Psalm 132:6–9, Psalm 149:2–5; Isaiah 30:29; Zechariah 8:19LEV Zechariah 23:39–41; Deuteronomy 16:13–152CH Deuteronomy 30:21–23, 2 Chronicles 30:26–27

A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name.

Joy expressed by the individual as a result of faith

Psalm 16:8–9, Psalm 28:7 See also Job 6:10, Job 33:26; Psalm 5:11, Psalm 21:1, Psalm 71:23, Psalm 92:4, Psalm 104:34, Psalm 119:14, Psalm 119:174; Proverbs 10:28; Isaiah 61:10

I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell securely.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.

Joy experienced by the nation as the people of God

Psalm 20:5; Isaiah 51:11; Jeremiah 31:12–13 See also Deuteronomy 26:11; Psalm 53:6, Psalm 105:43, Psalm 145:7

May we shout for joy at your victory and raise a banner in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your petitions.

So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.

They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD — the grain, new wine, and oil, and the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like a well-watered garden, and never again will they languish. Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow.

Joy predicted in prophetic assurances of restoration and blessing

Isaiah 51:3 See also Isaiah 52:8–9, Isaiah 55:12, Isaiah 60:4–5, Isaiah 66:10–11; Jeremiah 30:18–19, Jeremiah 31:4, Jeremiah 31:7; Joel 2:21–23; Zephaniah 3:14; Zechariah 9:9

For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.

Joy at times of national celebration

The anointing of kings

1 Kings 1:39–40 See also 1 Chronicles 29:21–22; 2 Chronicles 23:12–13

Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!” All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.

The consecration of the temple

1 Kings 8:64–66 parallel 2 Chronicles 7:1–10 See also 1 Chronicles 29:9, 1 Chronicles 29:17

On that same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to contain all these offerings. So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him— a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt— kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days— fourteen days in all. On the fifteenth day Solomon sent the people away. So they blessed the king and went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things that the LORD had done for His servant David and for His people Israel.

Consecration of the temple in the reign of King Hezekiah

2 Chronicles 29:36

Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had prepared for the people, because everything had been accomplished so quickly.

Deliverance of the Jews through Queen Esther

Esther 8:15–17 See also Esther 9:20–22

Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor. In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

The rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem

Ezra 6:16 See also Ezra 3:10–13, Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 3:16–17, Nehemiah 12:27

Then the people of Israel — the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles — celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.

Other nations encouraged to share Israel's joy

Psalm 47:1; Isaiah 24:14–16 See also Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 66:1–2, Psalm 67:4; Isaiah 42:10–11; Jeremiah 51:48

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout unto God with a voice of triumph.

They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they proclaim the majesty of the LORD. Therefore glorify the LORD in the east. Extol the name of the LORD, the God of Israel in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” But I said, “I am wasting away! I am wasting away! Woe is me.” The treacherous betray; the treacherous deal in treachery.