Top 7 Bible Verses About Laughter and Smiling

Does God smile and laugh? In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul writes, “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” These are all crucial aspects and characteristics of God that we should also have as Christians. Interestingly, the second fruit mentioned is joy, and this is a purposeful placing of the word, in my opinion. The Lord loves us and fills us with joy and laughter when we are connected to him. Therefore, my top 7 Bible verses about laughter and smiling are as follows:

Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”

Nehemiah shared this word with the Israelites after returning to Israel and rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. He knew that the people had suffered for a long time, and he was encouraging them to celebrate all of their hard work. If God loves joy and laughter, then this verse has a powerful message for all of us. His joy will not only lift our spirits, but it can also strengthen us in amazing ways. This has been one of my favorite verses in recent years, as it has encouraged me numerous times. When I am sad or struggling with various challenges, I remember this verse. Then I ask the Lord for his joy that gives me strength.

Job 8:21 “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.”

I think that this is a great verse, because it declares that it is the Lord that fills our mouths with laughter. He rejoices over us and blesses us in every way possible. It makes me think of an important sporting event where everyone is cheering on their favorite team, and that is the kind of joy and shouting that the Lord gives us. He fills our lips with laughter, so that we can face every obstacle and challenge with hope and excitement.

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

The book of Psalms is filled with heart cries from a man who loved God whole-heartedly, and this verse exemplifies the passion David felt for the Lord. He knew and understood that God was directing his steps, and that following him would lead to a fullness of joy. Remaining close to the Father, in spite of difficulties, will bring pleasures untold. In other words, the closer our relationship is to God, the more laughter and joy we will experience now and forever.

Psalm 37:13 “…but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.”

I love the image that I get in my mind when I close my eyes and imagine God laughing like it says in this passage. I can’t help but smile myself thinking about it. The message here is also powerful, as it is a reminder that the wicked will not triumph. Their days are numbered, as their destruction is near. God will not only destroy them, but he laughs at their feeble attempts to have their way in this life.

Psalm 126:2 “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

How encouraging it is to remember and know that it is God who does great things for us. Celebrating that fact will fill us with laughter and our tongues with joy. God always has our best interests in mind, and he is looking for ways to bless and inspire us in our daily lives. It is so much easier to face any challenges when we are filled with hope and laughter.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”

Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, wrote this passage on the various seasons that we all face in life. He reminds us that there is a time for everything, including a time to laugh and rejoice. The author knew all of the attributes of God, and how rejoicing and laughter and smiling were a gift from God to us.

Luke 6:21 ““Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”

Those that love God and have a relationship with him have felt his care and concern for them over and over again. Even when we go through hard times, we sense his presence. So this verse, in what is commonly called the “Beatitudes,” is significant, because we are reminded that even though we may suffer sorrow sometimes that God will eventually replace the tears with laughter. His desire for us is that we would be filled with joy, as he turns all things around for our good.

CONCLUSION

Our God is a God filled with joy, smiling and laughter, and he provides us with every opportunity to rejoice in our circumstances. Like many of these verses explain, it is he who puts laughter in our mouths and in our hearts for our own good. In Philippians 4:4, he reminds us several times to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” This is because God knows that our lives are more abundantly blessed and fruitful when we are saturated with his joy, enthusiasm and hope.

Written by Karla Hawkins

God has been good to me over the years, and I have much for which to be grateful to Him. First of all, I feel blessed to be the pastor’s wife of a thriving church in northern Michigan and the mother of four amazing grown children. It is also very rewarding to be a Christian author, editor and translator for the Kingdom of God. Some of my favorite pastimes include supporting my children’s contemporary Christian band ONLY9AM, singing on the worship team at church, traveling, and connecting with family and friends via social media. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and especially with my precious three-year-old grandson.