Pleasure

Does God mind if people enjoy themselves? Scripture gives a fuller answer than a simple yes or no. The psalmist says of God, “at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11), and the Preacher finds that to eat, drink and enjoy one’s work is a gift from God’s hand. Yet pleasure can become a master. Paul describes people who are “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,” and Jesus warns that the cares and pleasures of this life can choke the word like thorns. The Bible also says that the LORD himself “taketh pleasure in them that fear him.”

516 verses

Numbers

Numbers 11:33

And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 12:18

But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

Deuteronomy 28:63

And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Deuteronomy 30:9

And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:

Deuteronomy 33:29

Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Ruth

Ruth 2:20

And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

1 Samuel

1 Samuel 2:1

And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

1 Samuel 8:19

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

1 Samuel 8:20

That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 16:27

Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 7:10

And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

2 Chronicles 15:14

And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

2 Chronicles 15:15

And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

2 Chronicles 23:18

Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.

2 Chronicles 23:21

And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

2 Chronicles 29:30

Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

2 Chronicles 29:36

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

Ezra

Ezra 6:22

And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 8:10

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:12

And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

Nehemiah 12:43

Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

Esther

Esther 8:15

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

Esther 8:16

The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

Job

Job 5:17

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Job 5:18

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Job 5:19

He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

Job 5:20

In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

Job 5:21

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

Job 5:22

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

Job 5:23

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Job 5:24

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

Job 5:25

Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

Job 5:26

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

Job 5:27

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Job 8:21

Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

Job 15:21

A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

Job 20:4

Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,

Job 20:5

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

Job 20:6

Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds;

Job 20:7

Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

Job 20:8

He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

Job 20:9

The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him.

Job 20:10

His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

Job 20:11

His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

Job 20:12

Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;

Job 20:13

Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth:

Job 20:14

Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.

Job 20:15

He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

Job 20:16

He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay him.

Job 20:17

He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter.

Job 20:18

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

Job 20:19

Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

Job 20:20

Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

Job 20:21

There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

Job 20:22

In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

Job 20:23

When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

Job 20:24

He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

Job 20:25

It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

Job 20:26

All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

Job 20:27

The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him.

Job 20:28

The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath.

Job 20:29

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

Job 21:7

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Job 21:11

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

Job 21:12

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

Job 21:13

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

Job 21:14

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

Job 21:15

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

Job 22:21

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Job 22:26

For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Job 33:26

He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

Psalms

Psalms 2:11

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psalms 4:7

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

Psalms 5:11

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Psalms 9:2

I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Psalms 9:14

That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.

Psalms 13:5

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

Psalms 14:7

Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Psalms 16:5

The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

Psalms 16:6

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Psalms 16:8

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Psalms 16:9

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psalms 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalms 17:14

From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

Psalms 17:15

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psalms 19:8

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psalms 20:5

We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

Psalms 21:1

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

Psalms 21:6

For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

Psalms 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalms 30:5

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalms 30:11

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

Psalms 30:12

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Psalms 32:1

A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Psalms 32:2

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psalms 32:11

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 33:21

For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

Psalms 35:9

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

Psalms 36:8

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

Psalms 37:35

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.