37 Uplifting Bible Verses About Joy

Let these uplifting Bible verses about joy remind you of all the reasons you have to be thankful, peaceful, and full of celebration!

37 Uplifting Bible Verses About Joy

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As a person living with a chronic illness (in my case, narcolepsy), it can be especially hard to convince myself to be joyful. Some times are easier than others… I can be extra grateful and rejoicing in the Lord one hour, and feeling exhausted and pessimistic the next. It’s a challenge, to override what my body is experiencing, and choose joy in Christ.

Perhaps you can relate?

In this broken, messed up, in-need-of-Jesus world, there is just so much to drag us down. Whether the struggles are internal (illness, grief/loss, financial struggles, etc.) or external (dealing with difficult people, discord in family relationships, not to mention wars, crime, etc.), there are plenty of excuses to be depressed and discouraged.

But, even with all the troubles this world brings, God’s Word reminds us to REJOICE!!! We have the love of God, and the hope of Jesus, which goes far beyond any difficulties we face here on earth.

So, for all those times when you feel down, irritable, ungrateful, or just plain grumpy, I encourage you to open up God’s Word, and explore the many wonderful Bible verses about joy contained therein.

I need these Scriptures too! I need to remember that the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10), and how important it is to have a joyful heart.

Let’s explore some together, shall we?

37 Uplifting Bible Verses About Joy

In assembling these 37 Bible verses about joy, I decided to focus on four distinct themes: thankfulness, peace, joy in hard times, and reasons to celebrate. Joy is deeply rooted in gratitude, not only in good times but also in difficulties… and no matter what, there is always reason to rejoice!

Quick Links:
Verses 1-11: Bible Verses About Joy and Thankfulness
Verses 12-18: Bible Verses About Joy and Peace
Verses 19-28: Bible Verses About Joy in Hard Times
Verses 29-37: Bible Verses About Joy and Celebration

gratitude word cloud

Bible Verses About Joy and Thankfulness

I’m sure you’ve heard it said, that’s it’s hard to be grumpy and grateful at the same time. And it’s true! The first step to having more joy, is simply being more thankful for who God is and everything He’s done for us.

As you read these Bible verses about joy and thankfulness, consider what a difference it will make in your level of joy, to simply be more grateful! Notice how these Bible verses emphasize having a joyful heart, that is filled with gratitude…

1) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

2) Colossians 1:11-15 (NLT)

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

3) Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

4) Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

5) Psalm 28:7 (NIV)

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

6) Colossians 3:15-16 (NIV)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

7) Psalm 69:30 (NIV)

I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.

8) 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

9) Colossians 2:7 (NIV)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

10) 2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

11) 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

Choose Joy wall art print

Bible Verses About Joy and Peace

You know what else goes really well with JOY? Peace! It seems (to me) that having more peace can bring with it more joy, and vice versa. As you’ll see in these Bible verses about joy and peace, they really do go hand in hand.

12) Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

13) Romans 14:17 (NLT)

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

14) Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

15) John 16:33 (NIV)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

16) Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

17) 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

18) Isaiah 55:12 (NIV)

You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

open Bible with lily

Bible Verses About Joy in Hard Times

Isn’t this one of the toughest dilemmas in life? To find joy in hard times is so challenging, even for Christians. But, we DO have so many reasons to rejoice in our difficulties. These Bible verses about joy in suffering may seem like tough love, but they are absolutely true!

19) Romans 12:12 (NIV)

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

20) James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

21) Colossians 1:24 (NLT)

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.

22) Psalm 126:5 (NIV)

Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.

23) Psalm 30:11-20 (NIV)

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

24) Psalm 51:8 (NLT)

For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

25) Psalm 51:8, 12 (NIV)

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
[…]
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

26) 1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT)

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

27) 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 (NLT)

We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

28) John 16:22 (NLT)

So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.

Bible Verses About Joy and Celebration

Let’s end on a high note, shall we? Let these Bible verses about joy and celebration
sink in, as you consider how much there is to celebrate… from the gift of Jesus Christ, to the joy of serving God, there are plenty of reasons to do a happy dance! Are you with me?!

29) Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

30) Psalm 16:9-11 (NIV)

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

31) 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV)

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

32) Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

33) Luke 15:7 (NIV)

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

34) Matthew 25:21 (NLT)

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

35) Psalm 32:11 (NIV)

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

36) Psalm 100:1-3 (NIV)

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

37) Isaiah 61:10 (NLT)

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!
For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
or a bride with her jewels.

I don’t know about you, but these Scriptures on joy and strength have so inspired me! It has been a joy to curate this list of verses for you (and, okay, it’s been hard work too, but I’m choosing JOY even in the exhaustion 😉 )

What stands out to me the most, is that there are so many Bible verses about the importance of having a joyful heart… it really is essential for us as God’s children, to choose joy and gratitude. As 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus”.

In fact, if you want to memorize even one of these Bible verses about joy, I think 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 would be an excellent verse to begin with. It really does capture the essence of God’s call for us to live with joyful hearts!

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