Bible Verses About Rejoicing: 12

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

— Philippians 4:4 (NIV)

People who search bible verses about rejoicing want Scripture for a celebration that feels fragile, a command to rejoice when tears are closer, or a faith that can still choose gladness — not a demand to fake a smile. This page is a numbered list of twelve passages with the NIV text and a short note on each. Related lists: Bible verses about joy, Bible verses about praise, Bible verses about hope, Bible verses about thanksgiving, and Love and joy. Here the focus is the active choice to rejoice in the Lord — distinct from joy as the Spirit's fruit and settled gladness (Bible verses about joy) and from praise as naming God's worth (Bible verses about praise).

Word study (lead theme). In Greek, "rejoice" is often χαίρω chairō (Strong's G5463; Bible Hub G5463) — to be glad, rejoice, delight — gladness that can be commanded because its object is the Lord, not the weather. Related χαρά chara is joy; this page leans on the verb of rejoicing.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Philippians 4 presses rejoicing in the Lord as a duty that can stand beside anxiety when prayer and thanksgiving are near (Bible Hub commentaries on Philippians 4:4; Bible Hub MHC Philippians 4). On 1 Thessalonians 5 he links rejoicing always with praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances as one Christian posture (Bible Hub commentaries on 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Bible Hub MHC 1 Thessalonians 5).

12 Bible verses about rejoicing

Philippians 4:4. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Rejoicing is repeated because the Lord is a steady object. See Bible verses about joy.
Philippians 3:1. "Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you." Paul writes the command again so rejoicing can be chosen on purpose, including when you turn to pray. See Bible verses about prayer.
Psalm 90:14. "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." A morning is reason enough to ask for gladness that lasts. See Bible verses about hope.
1 Peter 4:13. "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." Rejoicing rides on hope when suffering is present. See Bible verses about perseverance.
1 Peter 1:6. "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." Rejoicing can stand when grief is closer than relief. See Bible verses about faith.
Psalm 32:11. "Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" Forgiven people have ground to rejoice. See Bible verses about repentance.
Luke 15:7. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Heaven rejoices over one turn home. See Bible verses about repentance.
Isaiah 62:5. "As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." God rejoices over his people first. See Bible verses about God's love.
Luke 10:20. "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." A name written in heaven is reason to rejoice. See Bible verses about hope.
Psalm 13:5-6. "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me." Trust turns into rejoicing mid-lament. See Bible verses about trust.
Isaiah 61:10. "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness…" Salvation clothes are reason to rejoice. See Bible verses about salvation.
Romans 5:2-3. "…And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance…" Hope of glory trains rejoicing that can include hard seasons. See Bible verses about glory.

How to use these verses

Pick one verse for a fragile celebration, a command that feels impossible, or a week when hope needs to lead gladness — not twelve. If you need rejoicing aimed at the Lord, start with Philippians 4:4. If you need rejoicing when grief is close, start with 1 Peter 1:6. If you need gladness across the days, start with Psalm 90:14. For joy as the Spirit's fruit, see Bible verses about joy. For praise as naming God's worth, see Bible verses about praise. For a daily verse, open Bible verse of the day.

Questions people ask

What is a good Bible verse about rejoicing?

Philippians 4:4 (rejoice in the Lord always), Psalm 90:14 (glad all our days), and 1 Peter 1:6 (rejoice in trials) are clear starting places.

What does the Bible say about rejoicing?

Scripture presents rejoicing as a command aimed at the Lord (Philippians 4:4), possible when grief and trials are present (1 Peter 1:6), and rooted in hope of glory (Romans 5:2-3).

What is a Bible verse about rejoicing in hard times?

1 Peter 1:6 rejoices though grief and trials last a little while. 1 Peter 4:13 rejoices in sharing the sufferings of Christ.

How does rejoicing relate to joy and praise?

Joy is the settled fruit and gladness (Bible verses about joy); praise names God's worth (Bible verses about praise). Rejoicing is the active choice to be glad in the Lord.

How can I use Bible verses about rejoicing in prayer?

Read Philippians 4:4 aloud when gladness feels thin. Use Habakkuk 3:17-18 when circumstances are empty, and Psalm 118:24 to claim today as a day for rejoicing.

Sources

NIV text quoted above.
Blue Letter Bible / Bible Hub Strong's entries for chairō (G5463).
Matthew Henry Concise via Bible Hub on Philippians 4:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16.