10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing(A) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy(B) of the Lord is your strength.”

Read full chapter

The Lord is my strength(A) and my shield;
    my heart trusts(B) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,(C)
    and with my song I praise him.(D)

The Lord is the strength(E) of his people,
    a fortress of salvation(F) for his anointed one.(G)

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(A) But he said to me, “My grace(B) is sufficient for you, for my power(C) is made perfect in weakness.(D)(E) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Read full chapter

Songs of Praise

12 In that day(A) you will say:

“I will praise(B) you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(C)
    and you have comforted(D) me.
Surely God is my salvation;(E)
    I will trust(F) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(G) is my strength(H) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(I)
With joy you will draw water(J)
    from the wells(K) of salvation.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 12:2 Or song

Let Israel rejoice(A) in their Maker;(B)
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.(C)

Read full chapter

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.(A)

Read full chapter

19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar(A) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(B)

Read full chapter

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine(A) with a joyful heart,(B) for God has already approved what you do.

Read full chapter

10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices(A) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,(B)
as a bridegroom adorns his head(C) like a priest,
    and as a bride(D) adorns herself with her jewels.

Read full chapter

22 as the time when the Jews got relief(A) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(B) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(C) to one another and gifts to the poor.(D)

Read full chapter

Joy of the Redeemed

35 The desert(A) and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.(B)
Like the crocus,(C) it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.(D)
The glory of Lebanon(E) will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel(F) and Sharon;(G)
they will see the glory(H) of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God.(I)

Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees(J) that give way;
say(K) to those with fearful hearts,(L)
    “Be strong, do not fear;(M)
your God will come,(N)
    he will come with vengeance;(O)
with divine retribution
    he will come to save(P) you.”

Read full chapter

13 That each of them may eat and drink,(A) and find satisfaction(B) in all their toil—this is the gift of God.(C)

Read full chapter

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(A) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(B) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(C)

Read full chapter

11 Then you and the Levites(A) and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice(B) in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth(C) of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe,(D) you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the Lord your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.(E)

Read full chapter

17 Command those who are rich(A) in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,(B) which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God,(C) who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.(D) 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,(E) and to be generous and willing to share.(F)

Read full chapter

With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips;(A) your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.(B)

Then I heard the voice(C) of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?(D) And who will go for us?(E)

And I said, “Here am I.(F) Send me!”

Read full chapter

Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
    you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

Read full chapter

16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor(A)
    or let the eyes of the widow(B) grow weary,(C)
17 if I have kept my bread to myself,
    not sharing it with the fatherless(D)
18 but from my youth I reared them as a father would,
    and from my birth I guided the widow(E)

Read full chapter

though I myself have reasons for such confidence.(A)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

Read full chapter

41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor,(A) and everything will be clean for you.(B)

Read full chapter

23 Be glad, people of Zion,
    rejoice(A) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
    because he is faithful.(B)
He sends you abundant showers,(C)
    both autumn(D) and spring rains,(E) as before.

Read full chapter

18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink(A) and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor(B) under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.

Read full chapter

10 The inhabitants of the earth(A) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(B) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends