The Gift:

“And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” – Luke 1:41-47.

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” – Luke 2:8-14.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” – Matthew 2:1-2, 10.

The Living Word:

“And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.” – 1 Samuel 2:1-2.

“For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place.” – 1 Chronicles 16:25-27.

“And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” – Ezra 6:22.

“Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10.

“Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.” – Nehemiah 12:43.

“Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.” – Job 8:20-21.

“You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:7-8.

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.” – Psalm 5:11.

“I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” – Psalm 9:2.

“But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” – Psalm 13:5-6.

“I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.”

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:8-9, 11.

“We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! . . .” – Psalm 20:5.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.” – Psalm 28:7.

“Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” – Psalm 32:11.

“Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.” – Psalm 33:20-21.

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.” – Psalm 35:9.

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” – Psalm 40:16.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.” – Psalm 51:10-12.

“Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.” – Psalm 63:7.

“But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him.” – Psalm 68:3-4.

“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted.” – Psalm 89:15-16.

“Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.” – Psalm 97:12.

“Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!”

“He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness.” – Psalm 105:3, 43.

“I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.” – Psalm 119:162.

“The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad.”

“Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.” – Psalm 126:3, 5-6.

“For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds.” – Psalm 149:4-5.

“For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. . .” – Ecclesiastes 2:26.

“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.'” Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.” – Isaiah 12:2-3.

“And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” – Isaiah 25:9.

“The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel.” – Isaiah 29:19.

“Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.” – Isaiah 49:13.

“For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” – Isaiah 55:12.

“As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the LORD shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies.” – Isaiah 66:13-14.

“Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.” – Jeremiah 15:16.

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:18.

“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, . . .” – Luke 6:23.

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” – Luke 10:20-21.

“Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” – Luke 15:10.

“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”

“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” – John 16:22, 24.

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 13:52.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:1-2.

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 14:17.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. . .” – Philippians 3:1.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:6-9.

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” – 1 Peter 4:12-13.

“And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” – 1 John 1:4.

Applicable Quotes:

For what are the servants of the Lord but His minstrels who should raise the hearts of men and move them to spiritual joy. – Francis of Assisi

You will give us joy and gladness if you obey what we have written through the Holy Spirit. – Clement of Rome

Those that make God their Joy may rejoice in hope for he is faithful that has promised. – Henry

It is a comely fashion to be glad; joy is the grace we say to God. – Ingelow

Joy is the echo of God’s life within us. – Marmion

The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies, and put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks. – Henry

Any man can again have the joy of his first meeting with God if he will go back over the same road. – Smith

The greatest joy of a Christian is to give joy to Christ. – Spurgeon

Where God gives the oil of joy, he gives the garment of praise. – Henry

If you have no joy in your religion, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere. – Sunday

All the world’s joy comes from the grave of our risen Lord. – Unknown

Joy in God is never out of season. – Henry

A child of God should be a visible beatitude for joy and happiness, and a living doxology for gratitude and adoration. – Spurgeon

We live for others in the inevitable conditions of our being. To accept the situation gladly is to find it crowned with its own joy. – Unknown