VERSES ABOUT JOY

Think about it: the joy of the Lord doesn't just fill you with strength, it brings us all together. It's a joy that's not meant to be kept to yourself; it needs to be shared. Just like the Israelites were instructed to celebrate and share what they had with each other, you can spread the joy of the Lord with everyone you know.

This joy challenges you to love your neighbor and share the Gospel. When your heart is joyful in God, you are strong and empowered to spread that joy throughout your community. It's a lasting joy, something no one can take away.

Psalm 98:4-6 says, "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn— shout for joy before the Lord, the King." You can find so many verses like this that talk about the joy of our God.

And I will makeyou a greatnation,And I will blessyou, And makeyour namegreat;And so you shall be a blessing;

Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"Once againthey will speakthiswordin the landof Judahand in its citieswhen I restoretheir fortunes,'The LORDblessyou, O abodeof righteousness,O holyhill!'

In that dayIsraelwill be the third[party] with Egyptand Assyria,a blessingin the midstof the earth,

"He will loveyou and blessyou and multiplyyou; He will also blessthe fruitof your womband the fruitof your ground,your grainand your newwineand your oil,the increaseof your herdand the youngof your flock,in the landwhichHe sworeto your forefathersto giveyou.

Then Aaronliftedup his handstowardthe peopleand blessedthem, and he steppeddownafter makingthe sinofferingand the burntofferingand the peaceofferings.

"Sojournin thislandand I will be with you and blessyou, for to you and to your descendantsI will givealltheselands,and I will establishthe oathwhichI sworeto your fatherAbraham.

He blessedthem that day,saying,"By you Israelwill pronounceblessing,saying,'May Godmakeyou like Ephraimand Manasseh!'"Thus he putEphraimbeforeManasseh.

And I will blessthose who blessyou, And the one who cursesyou I will curse.And in you allthe familiesof the earthwill be blessed."

Then their offspringwill be knownamong the nations,And their descendantsin the midstof the peoples.Allwho seethem will recognizethem Becausethey are the offspring[whom] the LORDhas blessed.

From the Godof your fatherwho helpsyou, And by the Almightywho blessesyou [With] blessingsof heavenabove,Blessingsof the deepthat liesbeneath,Blessingsof the breastsand of the womb.

in that I commandyou todayto lovethe LORDyour God,to walkin His waysand to keepHis commandmentsand His statutesand His judgments,that you may liveand multiply,and that the LORDyour Godmay blessyou in the landwhereyou are enteringto possessit.

Prayfor the peaceof Jerusalem:"May they prosperwho loveyou.

"Comfort,O comfortMy people,"saysyour God.

"Speakkindlyto Jerusalem;And callout to her, that her warfarehas ended,That her iniquityhas been removed,That she has receivedof the LORD'ShandDoublefor allher sins."

"Comfort,O comfortMy people,"saysyour God.

It cameabout that from the timehe madehim overseerin his houseand overallthat he owned,the LORDblessedthe Egyptian'shouseon accountof Joseph;thus the LORD'Sblessingwas upon allthat he owned,in the houseand in the field.

It will comeabout that justas you were a curseamong the nations,O houseof Judahand houseof Israel,soI will saveyou that you may becomea blessing.Do not fear;let your handsbe strong.'

The LORDwill givestrengthto His people;The LORDwill blessHis peoplewith peace.

Those who trustin the LORDAre as MountZion,which cannotbe movedbut abidesforever.

As the mountainssurroundJerusalem,So the LORDsurroundsHis peopleFrom thistimeforth and forever.

"The LORDwill removefrom you allsickness;and He will not puton you anyof the harmfuldiseasesof Egyptwhichyou have known,but He will laythem on allwho hateyou.

Blessedbe the LORDGod,the Godof Israel,Who aloneworkswonders.

And blessedbe His gloriousnameforever;And may the wholeearthbe filledwith His glory.Amen,and Amen.

"Behold,you will calla nationyou do not know,And a nationwhich knowsyou not will runto you, Becauseof the LORDyour God,even the HolyOneof Israel;For He has glorifiedyou."

"The LORDshall causeyour enemieswho riseup againstyou to be defeatedbeforeyou; they will comeout againstyou onewayand will fleebeforeyou sevenways.

Yes,they were pleased[to do so], and they are indebtedto them. For ifthe Gentileshave sharedin their spiritual things,they are indebtedto ministerto them alsoin material things.

For thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"AftergloryHe has sentme againstthe nationswhich plunderyou, for he who touchesyou, touchesthe appleof His eye.

The Scripture,foreseeingthat Godwould justifythe Gentilesby faith,preached the gospel beforehandto Abraham,[saying], "ALLTHE NATIONSWILL BE BLESSEDIN YOU."

IfI forgetyou, O Jerusalem,May my righthandforget[her skill].

May my tongueclingto the roofof my mouthIfI do not rememberyou, IfI do not exaltJerusalemAbovemy chiefjoy.

"For you hadlittlebeforeI came and it has increasedto a multitude,and the LORDhas blessedyou wherever I turned.But now,whenshall I providefor my own householdalso?"

"For the mountainsmay be removedand the hillsmay shake,But My lovingkindnesswill not be removedfrom you, And My covenantof peacewill not be shaken,"Saysthe LORDwho hascompassionon you.

The LORDhas beenmindfulof us; He will bless[us]; He will blessthe houseof Israel;He will blessthe houseof Aaron.

He will blessthose who fearthe LORD,The smalltogetherwith the great.

Salvationbelongs to the LORD;Your blessing[be] upon Your people!Selah.

"In your seedallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed,becauseyou have obeyedMy voice."

"Your descendantswill also be like the dustof the earth,and you will spreadout to the westand to the eastand to the northand to the south;and in you and in your descendantsshall allthe familiesof the earthbe blessed.

"The LORDyour Godwill inflictallthesecurseson your enemiesand on those who hateyou, whopersecutedyou.

But you are A CHOSENRACE,A royalPRIESTHOOD,A HOLYNATION,A PEOPLEFOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION,sothat you may proclaimthe excellenciesof Him who has calledyou out of darknessinto His marvelouslight;

"However,there will be nopooramong you, sincethe LORDwill surelyblessyou in the landwhichthe LORDyour Godis givingyou as an inheritanceto possess,

Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I will liftup My handto the nationsAnd setup My standardto the peoples;And they will bringyour sonsin [their] bosom,And your daughterswill be carriedon [their] shoulders.

For the LORDhas chosenZion;He has desiredit for His habitation.

"Thisis My restingplaceforever;HereI will dwell,for I have desiredit.

When the LORDbroughtbackthe captiveones of Zion,We were like those who dream.

Thenour mouthwas filledwith laughterAnd our tonguewith joyfulshouting;Thenthey saidamong the nations,"The LORDhas donegreatthingsfor them."

"Sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I will takethe sonsof Israelfrom amongthe nationswherethey have gone,and I will gatherthem from everysideand bringthem into their own land;

and I will makethem onenationin the land,on the mountainsof Israel;and onekingwill be kingfor allof them; and they will nolongerbe twonationsand nolongerbe dividedinto twokingdoms.

On your walls,O Jerusalem,I have appointedwatchmen;Alldayand allnightthey will neverkeepsilent.You who remindthe LORD,take norestfor yourselves;

And giveHim norestuntilHe establishesAnd makesJerusalema praisein the earth.

May peoplesserveyou, And nationsbowdownto you; Be masterof your brothers,And may your mother'ssonsbowdownto you. Cursedbe those who curseyou, And blessedbe those who blessyou."

There is a riverwhose streamsmakegladthe cityof God,The holydwellingplacesof the MostHigh.

"Blessedare the gentle,for they shall inheritthe earth.

"For I will takeyou from the nations,gatheryou from allthe landsand bringyou into your own land.

"Then I will sprinklecleanwateron you, and you will be clean;I will cleanseyou from allyour filthinessand from allyour idols.

"Moreover, I will giveyou a newheartand puta newspiritwithinyou; and I will removethe heartof stonefrom your fleshand giveyou a heartof flesh.

"Enlargethe placeof your tent;Stretchout the curtainsof your dwellings,sparenot; Lengthenyour cordsAnd strengthenyour pegs.

"For you will spreadabroadto the rightand to the left.And your descendantswill possessnationsAnd will resettlethe desolatecities.

He has rememberedHis covenantforever,The wordwhich He commandedto a thousandgenerations,

[The] [covenant] whichHe madewith Abraham,And His oathto Isaac.

Then He confirmedit to Jacobfor a statute,To Israelas an everlastingcovenant,

His foundationis in the holymountains.

The LORDlovesthe gatesof ZionMorethanallthe [other] dwellingplacesof Jacob.

Gloriousthingsare spokenof you, O cityof God.Selah.

"I will pourout on the houseof Davidand on the inhabitantsof Jerusalem,the Spiritof graceand of supplication,so that they will lookon Me whomthey have pierced;and they will mournfor Him, as one mournsfor an onlyson,and they will weepbitterlyoverHim like the bitterweepingovera firstborn.

"I will makethem and the placesaroundMy hilla blessing.And I will cause showersto comedownin their season;they will be showersof blessing.

"Also the treeof the fieldwill yieldits fruitand the earthwill yieldits increase,and they will be secureon their land.Then they will knowthat I am the LORD,when I have brokenthe barsof their yokeand have deliveredthem from the handof those who enslavedthem.

May the LORDgiveyou increase,You and your children.

May you be blessedof the LORD,Makerof heavenand earth.

Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I will liftup My handto the nationsAnd setup My standardto the peoples;And they will bringyour sonsin [their] bosom,And your daughterswill be carriedon [their] shoulders.

"Kingswill be your guardians,And their princessesyour nurses.They will bowdownto you with their facesto the earthAnd lickthe dustof your feet;And [you] will knowthat I am the LORD;Those whohopefullywaitfor Me will not be putto shame.

Hearthe wordof the LORD,O nations,And declarein the coastlandsafaroff,And say,"He who scatteredIsraelwill gatherhim And keephim as a shepherdkeeps his flock."

Let Godarise,let His enemiesbe scattered,And let those who hateHim fleebeforeHim.

As smokeis drivenaway,[so] drive[them] away;As waxmeltsbeforethe fire,[So] let the wickedperishbeforeGod.

O LORD,I lovethe habitationof Your houseAnd the placewhereYour glorydwells.

"For from the risingof the sunevento its setting,My name[will be] greatamong the nations,and in everyplaceincenseis going to be offeredto My name,and a grain offering[that is] pure;for My name[will be] greatamong the nations,"saysthe LORDof hosts.

Now it will comeabout that In the lastdaysThe mountainof the houseof the LORDWill be establishedas the chiefof the mountains,And will be raisedabovethe hills;And allthe nationswill streamto it.

And manypeopleswill comeand say,"Come,let us goup to the mountainof the LORD,To the houseof the Godof Jacob;That He may teachus concerningHis waysAnd that we may walkin His paths."For the lawwill goforthfrom ZionAnd the wordof the LORDfrom Jerusalem.

and soallIsraelwill be saved;justas it is written,"THE DELIVERERWILL COMEFROM ZION,HE WILL REMOVEUNGODLINESSFROM JACOB."

"I callheavenand earthto witnessagainst you today,that I have setbeforeyou lifeand death,the blessingand the curse.So chooselifein orderthat you may live,you and your descendants,

by lovingthe LORDyour God,by obeyingHis voice,and by holdingfastto Him; for thisis your lifeand the lengthof your days,that you may livein the landwhichthe LORDsworeto your fathers,to Abraham,Isaac,and Jacob,to givethem."

How blessedare those who dwellin Your house!They are everpraisingYou. Selah.

Ascribestrengthto God;His majestyis overIsraelAnd His strengthis in the skies.

O God,[You are] awesomefrom Your sanctuary.The Godof IsraelHimselfgivesstrengthand powerto the people.Blessedbe God!

Prayer