Let me hear joy and gladness, let the bones You have broken rejoice. Psalm 51:8 NASB Joy and gladness – I love to listen to the Blues. For years the plaintive cries of those lyrics have echoed my own struggles. They remind me of M. Scott Peck’s famous opening sentence, “Life is difficult.” Yes, it is. And…
The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes.Proverbs 10:28 NASB Gladness – Of course, joy must confront the inequity of human living. Far too often it seems the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. Far too often justice appears to have taken a holiday. Biblical authors often address the apparent contradiction of a…
For the Jews there was light and gladnessand joyand honor. Esther 8:16 NASB Gladness/joy – The usual Hebrew word for “joy” is śimḥâ. It comes from the root śāmaḥ, “to rejoice.” You would have expected it to be the Hebrew translated as “joy” in this verse. But it isn’t. In this verse, śimḥâ is translated “gladness,” because there is…
Therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; also my flesh shall rest in confidence. Psalm 16:9 Therefore – Why are you glad? Why do you rejoice? Why do you rest in confidence (not “rest in peace” – not yet, I hope)? David has a very good reason for proclaiming these things, but we…
