Merriment, often understood as a state of joy, festivity, and celebration, is a theme that appears throughout the Bible. It is associated with both positive expressions of joy and warnings against excessive indulgence. The Bible presents merriment as a natural part of human life, often linked to celebrations, feasts, and the enjoyment of God's blessings, while also cautioning against the potential for such joy to lead to moral laxity or distraction from spiritual responsibilities.

Biblical Instances of Merriment

1. Joyful Celebrations: Merriment is frequently depicted in the context of communal celebrations and feasts. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded to celebrate various feasts, such as the Feast of Tabernacles, with joy and thanksgiving. Deuteronomy 16:14-15 states, "And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your son and daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow within your gates. For seven days you shall celebrate the feast to the LORD your God in the place He will choose, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete."

2. Merriment in Parables: Jesus often used parables that included elements of merriment to illustrate spiritual truths. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father calls for a celebration upon the return of his lost son, saying, "Let us eat and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:23-24). This parable highlights the joy of reconciliation and redemption.

3. Warnings Against Excess: While merriment is a gift, the Bible also warns against its excess. Proverbs 21:17 cautions, "He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich." This verse underscores the potential for merriment to lead to a neglect of responsibilities and spiritual poverty if not kept in balance.

4. Merriment and Worship: The Psalms frequently associate merriment with worship and praise. Psalm 100:1-2 exhorts, "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs." Here, merriment is an expression of worship and gratitude towards God.

5. Eternal Merriment: The Bible also speaks of an eternal merriment that awaits believers. Revelation 19:7 describes the marriage supper of the Lamb, a time of great rejoicing: "Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready." This future celebration is the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the ultimate expression of joy for the faithful.

Theological Implications

Merriment, as depicted in the Bible, is a reflection of God's goodness and the joy found in His creation and redemptive work. It is a reminder of the balance between enjoying God's gifts and maintaining spiritual vigilance. The Bible encourages believers to embrace joy and celebration as part of their faith journey, while also remaining mindful of the potential for such joy to become a distraction from their spiritual walk.(n.) Gayety, with laughter; mirth; frolic.7814. sechoq -- laughter, derision, sport
... Or schoq {sekh-oke'}; from sachaq; laughter (in merriment or defiance) -- derision,
laughter(-ed to scorn, -ing), mocked, sport. see HEBREW sachaq. ...
/hebrew/7814.htm - 6k

6711. tsachaq -- to laugh
... laugh, mock, play, make sport. A primitive root; to laugh outright (in merriment
or scorn); by implication, to sport -- laugh, mock, play, make sport. ...
/hebrew/6711.htm - 6k

A Blast of the Trumpet against False Peace
... But no, you beat your drums, and sound your trumpets, and you have your dance and
your merriment, that the noise of your poor soul may be hushed. Ah, sirs! ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/a blast of the trumpet.htm

Arrival
... forgotten continual holiday. One odd incident that kept our merriment all
these days, was the symptomatical number thirteen. The SS ...
/.../conversion of a high priest into a christian worker/chapter ii arrival.htm

Conversations.
... party."Conversation about soldiers."The discontented soldier."His repeated
misfortunes."Amusement of the party."The awkward squad."Merriment of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter xi conversations.htm

Ephesians iv. 32 and v. 1, 2
... words. The present is no season of loose merriment, but of mourning, of
tribulation, and lamentation: and dost thou play the jester? ...
/.../homily xvii ephesians iv 32.htm

On the Road
... was some five feet two or three inches in height, had an oval face of remarkable
beauty and liveliness, jet black hair, and eyes in which merriment dwelt as in ...
/.../greater things the story of saint stanislaus kostka /chapter i on the road.htm

Conversion
... Conscientious in the extreme, she had many an hour of self-questioning when she
feared that, in the exuberance of youthful merriment, she had cast a shadow on ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hoskins/clara a swain md/conversion.htm

At Court
... passed on, smiling. Among the magnificently attired courtiers his shabby
appearance created not a little merriment. "Admire the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/forbes/life of st vincent de paul/chapter 8 at court.htm

For Though a Man Should be by no Means Greatly Advantaged by ...
... upright. [82] The souls of the wise, indeed, are sad and downcast, but those
of fools are elated, and given loose to merriment. And ...
/.../a metaphrase of the book of ecclesiastes/chapter vii for though a.htm

Jehovah-Shammah: a Glorious Name for the New Year
... If there were a place forsaken of God, however gay and full of merriment men
might think it, they would not be found among its guests. ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/jehovah-shammah a glorious name for.htm

Essay v. Whose Powers Shed Round Him in the Common Strife...
... Even at the jovial board, and in the height of unrestrained merriment, a casual
suggestion, that flashed a new light on his mind, changed the boon companion ...
/.../coleridge/confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay v whose powers shed.htm

Merriment (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Gayety, with laughter; mirth; frolic.
Multi-Version Concordance Merriment (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 32 ...
/m/merriment.htm - 6k

Dionysia
... Wine was drunk, and contests in trumpet-playing were held. At the drinking contest
everybody was permitted to make as much merriment as he pleased. ...
/d/dionysia.htm - 10k

Mirth (18 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Merriment; gayety accompanied with laughter; jollity.
2. (n.) That which causes merriment. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/m/mirth.htm - 12k

Merry (38 Occurrences)

/m/merry.htm - 18k

Joy (422 Occurrences)
... delight. 2. (n.) That which causes joy or happiness. 3. (n.) The sign or
exhibition of joy; gayety; mirth; merriment; festivity. 4 ...
/j/joy.htm - 48k

Jest (1 Occurrence)
... 6. (vi) To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of
anything. Multi-Version Concordance Jest (1 Occurrence). ...
/j/jest.htm - 7k

Laughter (14 Occurrences)
... usually involuntary) of the muscles of the face, particularly of the lips, with
a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction, or ...
/l/laughter.htm - 13k

Go (17871 Occurrences)
... incident. 18. (n.) The fashion or mode; as, quite the go. 19. (n.) Noisy
merriment; as, a high go. 20. (n.) A glass of spirits. 21. ...
/g/go.htm - 19k

Gay (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl.) Excited with merriment; manifesting
sportiveness or delight; inspiring delight; livery; merry. ...
/g/gay.htm - 7k

Glee (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Music; minstrelsy; entertainment. 2. (n.) Joy;
merriment; mirth; gayety; particularly, the mirth enjoyed at a feast. ...
/g/glee.htm - 7k

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