Fruits of the Spirit: Bible Verses on Joy

Luke 1:13-14 "But the angel said to him, 'Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.'"

Luke 1:43-44 "Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!"

John 15:11 "I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full."

Nehemiah 8:9b-10 "For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them...'Today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.'"

Psalm 4:7 "You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and their new wine are increased."

Psalm 5:11 "But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you."

Psalm 16:11 "You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more."

Psalm 30:5b "Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning."

Psalm 32:11 "Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!"

Psalm 51:8, 12 "Let me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which you have broken may rejoice...Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit."

Psalm 63:5b-7 "My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you on my bed, and think about you in the night watches. For you have been my help. I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings."

Psalm 67:4 "Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth."

Psalm 95:1-2 KJV "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms."

Psalm 96:11-13 "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness! Let the field and all that is in it exult! Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy before Yahweh; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth."

Psalm 100:1-2 KJV "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

Psalm 105:43 "He brought his people out with joy, his chosen with singing."

Psalm 149:2 "Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King."

Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

Ecclesiastes 2:24, 26a "There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God...For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God."

Ecclesiastes 7:14 "In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him."

Isaiah 35:10 "Then Yahweh’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."

Isaiah 52:9 "Break out into joy! Sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem."

Isaiah 55:12 "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace. The mountains and the hills will break out before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands."

Zephaniah 3:14, 17 "Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem... Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing."

1 Thessalonians 5:16 KJV "Rejoice evermore."

James 1:2-3 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

James 5:13 "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises."

1 Peter 1:8b "In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory."

1 Peter 4:13 "But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy."

3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than this: to hear about my children walking in truth."

*Unless otherwise noted, I use the World English Bible, because it is a free, public domain translation. Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Feel free to look up all the verses in your preferred translation! These lists are in no way comprehensive, and I am in no way an expert. These are simply passages I have found helpful in personal study. *

Nicole Jackson-Ozment