Genuine Joy comes from the Heart--XIX

Eight Hebrew roots for "joy" are connected with the heart in the Hebrew Bible. These include 14 words whose meanings vary in quality and intensity.

1. The Hebrew noun lebh, "heart," occurs five times with the Hebrew verb yatabh, "to be good, well, glad, pleasing."
     a. Proverbs 15:13 says:
         "A GLAD HEART makes a cheerful countenance,
                but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken."
     b. Proverbs 17:22 says:
         "A CHEERFUL HEART is a good medicine,
                but a downcast spirit dries up the bones."
     c. Ecclesiastes 11:9a says:
         "Rejoice, young man, while you are young,
                and LET YOUR HEART CHEER YOU in the days of your youth."
Similar language appears in Judges 18:20; Ecclesiastes 7:3.


2. The Hebrew adjective, tobh, "pleasant, agreeable, good," appears 4 times in the Hebrew Bible with "heart."
      a. 1 Kings 8:66 says: "On the eighth day [of the dedication of the Jerusalem temple] he [Solomon] sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents, JOYFUL [Hebrew good of heart] and in good spirits because of all the goodness that the Lord had shown to his servant David and to his people Israel."
      b. Proverbs 15:15 says:
          "All the days of the poor are hard,
                 but A CHEERFUL HEART has a continual feast."
Similar language appears in 2 Chronicles 7:10; Esther 5:9.

3. The Hebrew noun tubh, "good things, goods, goodness," appears once with "heart" in the Hebrew Bible. According to Isaiah 65:14, the postexilic prophet says:
      "My servants shall sing FOR GLADNESS OF HEART,
                but you shall cry out for pain of heart.            
                and shall wail for anguish of spirit."

The above three words convey the idea of joy which results from careful observation of a person's blessings and which expresses itself by appreciation for them. The heart can perceive the benefits of joy.

4. and 5. "Heart" appears 12 times with the Hebrew verb samach, "to rejoice, be glad, take pleasure in."
     a. When Moses did not want to go from Midian to Egypt to lead Yahweh's people out of Egyptian bondage, Yahweh responded in Exodus 4:14: "What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you HIS HEART WILL BE GLAD."
    b. Psalm 19:8 says:
        "The precepts of the Lord are right,
                REJOICING THE HEART."
    c. Proverbs 15:30 says:
        "The light of the eyes REJOICES THE HEART.
                and good news refreshes the body."
Similar language also appears in 1 Chronicles 16:10; Psalms 16:9; 33:21; 105:3; Proverbs 23:15; 27:9, 11; Ecclesiastes 2:10; Zechariah 10:7. The cognate sameach, "glad, joyful, merry," occurs twice with "heart" (Proverbs 15:13; 17:22).

6. The noun simchah, "joy, gladness, mirth," occurs 5 times in the Hebrew Bible with "heart."
    a. The Psalmist says in Psalm 4:7 addressed to Yahweh:
        "YOU HAVE PUT GLADNESS IN MY HEART
                more than when their grain and wine abound."
    b. Isaiah assures God's people in Isaiah 30:29:
        "You shall have a song as in the night when a holy festival is kept;
                 AND GLADNESS OF HEART, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute
                 to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel."
Similar language appears also in Ecclesiastes 5:20; Canticles 3:11; Ezekiel 36:5.

The texts mentioned above declare that the heart rejoices because of oil and perfume, labor, the light of the eyes, a wise son, and God's precepts.

7. Eight Hebrew words used with heart describe the intensity of rejoicing. The Hebrew verb sus, "to exult, rejoice," appears twice. Psalm 119:111 says:
    "Your decrees are my heritage forever;
          THEY ARE THE JOY OF MY HEART."
See also Jeremiah 15:16.

8. The Hebrew noun masos, "exultation," occurs once with heart in Lamentations 5:15:
     "THE JOY OF OUR HEARTS has ceased;
            our dancing has been turned to mourning."

9. The Hebrew noun sason appears twice with heart. They appear in Psalm 119:111; Jeremiah 15:16 under item 7. above.

10. The Hebrew verb gil, "to form a circle, to gather, to rejoice," appears three times with "heart." Proverbs 24:17 says:
      "Do not rejoice when your enemies fall,
             AND DO NOT LET YOUR HEART BE GLAD WHEN THEY STUMBLE."
See also Psalm 13:5; Zechariah 10:7,

11. The Hebrew verb `alaz, "to exult," appears twice with "heart." Psalm 28:7 says:
       "The Lord is my strength and my shield;
                in him my heart trusts;
         so I am helped, AND MY HEART EXULTS,
                and with my song I give thanks to him."
See also Zephaniah 3:14.

12. The Hebrew verb `alats, "to rejoice, exult," appears once with "heart." Hannah begins her prayer to Yahweh in 1 Samuel 2:1:
      "MY HEART EXULTS IN THE LORD;
              my strength is exalted in my God."

13. The Hebrew verb rachash, "to keep moving, stir," appears once with "heart." The poet of Psalm 45 begins with these words in Psalm 45:1:
       "MY HEART OVERFLOWS WITH A GOODLY THEME;
               I address my verses to the king;
               my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe."

14. The Hebrew verb ranan, "to whim, to hum, to rejoice" appears twice with "heart." Psalm 84:2 [Hebrew 84:3] says:
      "My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord;
              MY HEART AND MY FLESH SING FOR JOY TO THE LIVING GOD."
See also Job 29:13.

Intense joy is the effect of which unexpected and underestimated impressions are the causes.

Share YOUR concerns and feelings and emotions and delights and ideas with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis