Hebrew Joy
You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Isaiah 9:3 NASB
Gladness– One English dictionary defines joy as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” As you can readily see, this definition follows the Greek conflation of chará and hēdonḗ (rejoicing and pleasure). It’s typical of the West, following Plato and Aristotle. But it’s not so typical in Hebrew.
This passage from Isaiah uses the Hebrew term śimḥâ (in the NASB translated “gladness”). The same root is also translated “rejoice” in this passage. We immediately discover that the Hebrew term involves the whole person, not simply cognitive or emotional elements. Waltke comments: “The root ś-m-ḥ denotes being glad or joyful with the whole disposition as indicated by its association with the heart (cf. Ex 4:14; Ps 19:8 [H 9]; 104:15; 105:3), the soul (Ps 86:4); and with the lighting up of the eyes (Prov 15:30).”[1]
Since its context is located in everyday life, śimḥâ (joy) can be experienced with a cheerful word, with wine, with a wise son, in feasts, at weddings, in prosperity, in the company of friends, and in God’s Torah.
But the Lord and his salvation are cited most frequently as the reason for joy (II Chr 20:27; Ps 5:11 [H 12]; 9:2 [H 3]; 16:9; 32:11; 40:16 [H 17]; 63:11 [H 12]; 64:10 [H 11]; 86:4; 90:15; 92:4 [H 5]). Indeed the joy of the Lord is a man’s strength (ḥedwâ, Neh 8:10). Moreover, many of these passages call upon man to share this joy. Thus Israel is called upon to rejoice at its festivals and central sanctuary (Deut 12:7; 14:26; 16:11; 26:11; 27:7). Israel’s joy will be complete with their restoration (Ps 14:7; 126:2 [H 3]; Isa 9:2; 25:9; 35:10; 51:3, 11; 65:14–19; Zech 2:10 [H 14]).[2]
Because Israel is a sacred community, however, one cannot sharply divide secular from sacred festivities. [3]
Hebrew often depicts inanimate objects with human emotion, for example, the heavens rejoice and the hills clap their hands. These are also expressions of joy. In Hebrew thought, joy is the manifestation of divine purpose fulfilled, and since everything in creation has purpose, whenever any part of the creation acts according to its design, that part expresses and experiences śimḥâ. This has important consequences for us. There are times when our emotions seem far from joyful. The human world is filled with sorrow, struggle and guilt. At times it seems that evil abounds. Without minimizing this serious condition, śimḥâ reminds us that any part of creation presently fulfilling its designed purpose is an expression of joy. When our lives feel disconnected from divine order, the bloom of a flower, the drops of rain, a bird song, or the movement of clouds should remind us that joy is built into creation.
Joy is not only communal. It’s associative, creative and intentional. But most of all, it’s divine.
Topical Index: joy, śimḥâ, chará, hēdonḗ, Isaiah 9:3
[1]Waltke, B. K. (1999). 2268 שָׂמַח. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (879). Chicago: Moody Press.
At this point oh, I do not have much to add this has been well versed and reference I’m thinking of when Yeshua took up his cross the joy that was set before him. Knowing the future that was for us. Plants that the plans will be all be fulfilled. Much different than any Greek reality can conjure up. Thank you I’m sharing this one… For sure!?
Pleasure is the purpose of creation (“For His pleasure they were created”) but it is a pleasure the Creator apparently wishes to share because even one-celled bacteria have receptor sites on their outer membrane for seratonin. Now, that bacteria cannot even manufacture its own seratonin: it must get it from other bacteria. Seratonin is the universal feel-good chemical that is released when relationship is successful. Apparently, that pleasure is shared all the way down. I guess when two bacteria get together, they share seratonin with each other and stay together from then on because it is more fun than being alone. We were designed to do the same. There is strength in numbers, they say. We can relax when we know those around us ‘have our backs’: when we are surrounded by others who are increasing our seratonin levels. We were made to be a universal Body, after all, because the love that God can pour through such a complex organism by the compounding of the experience of all those parts with each other, and with Him through each other and, as stewards, to the rest of creation, is infinite. (This is probably the real reason the rest of creation is “groaning”: it is not getting the experience of God’s love pouring through us to it: it cannot ‘see’ God if we are not mirroring Him to the rest of our planet.) In this way, we get to experience the infinity of God, too. Now, how fun would that be? Let’s get started!
Two days ago I raised the point that true joy
is a God-ful experience. Today, we can further
elaborate on that when the experience of giving
one’s self-interested life over to the divine interests
of God, thus allowing Him and His life to live through us.
When that heart and mind transformation truly settles in,
the joy of the Lord IS your strength and the essence of your
being.
That joy is God’s purpose in all creation, but sinful man has to
catch on to it and seek it. And when sinful man realizes he must
leave his life of self-interest and self-sufficiency, and does so willfully
through the grace of God, he’ll miraculously discover “Christ living in me”,
and will also experience a joy like no other. And the blessing of that joy, by
design, is to be taken into the community and freely given away.
That IS the great commission, is it not?
I like that, “joy is the manifestation of divine purpose fulfilled“. It is “naturally“ occurring when one is living out the kingdom life. When the body is functioning as it is meant to, there is an output of joy! Joy is elusive if that is what you are seeking. Once again, in the spirit realm it is naturally occurring. Besides being the fruit of the Holy Spirit produced as we abide in The Vine. So many times we are seeking after the fruit of the spirit so that we can consume them on ourselves when the whole time the manifestation of fruit is for the blessing of community.
“When our lives feel disconnected from divine order, the bloom of a flower, the drops of rain, a bird song, or the movement of clouds should remind us that joy is built into creation.”
Amen and Amen, Skip!