One of the shortest commands in Scripture is "Rejoice evermore" (1 Thessalonians 5:16), and Paul repeats it: "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 3:1). The prophet sings, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD" (Isaiah 61:10). At Christmas the wise men, seeing the star, "rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (Matthew 2:10).
Rejoicing is joy said out loud: sung, shouted, shared with neighbors and even practiced in hard times. The Bible commands it more than it explains it, because the reason to rejoice is God Himself. These twelve King James verses gather the call to rejoice in the Lord, the Advent and Christmas songs of rejoicing, and the rejoicing we share with others. They suit Gaudete Sunday (the third Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2026), Christmas cards and any ordinary day. For the inner gift of gladness, see joy; for card verses, see Christmas cards.
Rejoice in the Lord always
1. Philippians 3:1
"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe."
Paul wrote from prison, yet he tells the church to rejoice in the Lord and says that repeating it is no burden to him. A few verses later he says it again (Philippians 4:4). Rejoicing is a habit worth repeating.
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16
"Rejoice evermore."
Two words make a perfect memory verse for children. Evermore does not mean always feeling happy; it means rejoicing in God is never out of season, because He never changes.
3. Psalms 33:1
"Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright."
The psalm calls the righteous to rejoice and adds that praise is comely, or fitting. Rejoicing is not only for good days; it is what suits people who belong to God.
4. 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."
Trust and rejoicing belong together. David rejoices because God defends those who take refuge in Him, a good verse to pray over a child or a friend facing opposition.
Advent and Christmas songs of rejoicing
5. Zephaniah 3:14
"Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem."
This call to sing and rejoice with all the heart is a traditional reading for Gaudete Sunday. Read it with verse 17, where God Himself rejoices over His people with singing.
6. Isaiah 35:10
"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
Isaiah 35 is read in many churches during Advent: the desert blossoms and the ransomed come home singing. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away is a Christmas hope for the grieving.
7. Isaiah 61:10
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
Isaiah rejoices like a bride and groom dressed for their wedding, because God has clothed him in salvation. Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-21), so Advent readers love this chapter.
8. Matthew 2:10
"When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."
The wise men had traveled far, and the star brought them to the child. Their exceeding great joy makes a lovely verse for an Epiphany card (January 6, 2027) or a star ornament.
Rejoicing with others, even in hard times
9. Romans 12:15
"Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."
Rejoicing is also something we do for each other. Celebrate a friend's engagement, new baby or answered prayer with them, and sit quietly with friends who are weeping.
10. Luke 15:6
"And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost."
The shepherd calls his friends and neighbours together to celebrate one found sheep. Heaven's joy over one person coming home is meant to be shared, not kept quiet.
11. Luke 10:20
"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."
The seventy came back excited about their success. Jesus redirects them: the deepest reason to rejoice is not what we do for God but that our names are written in heaven.
12. 1 Peter 4:13
"But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
Peter does not ask suffering Christians to pretend. He says rejoice, because Christ suffered too and His glory will be revealed. If you are hurting this season, see trials and tribulations.
A short prayer
Lord, You are my reason to rejoice. Teach me to rejoice in You on bright days and dark ones, to celebrate with friends who are glad and to sit with those who weep. As Christmas comes, fill me with the joy of the wise men who found Your Son, and keep my name written in heaven. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Get the free 25-day Advent reading plan · Get our free Christian Christmas Coloring Pages · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between joy and rejoicing?
Joy is the gladness God gives, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Rejoicing is joy expressed in song, words, celebration and shared thanks. The two go together, as in Isaiah 61:10, where the prophet rejoices and his soul is joyful. Our joy page gathers the verses on joy itself.
What is Gaudete Sunday?
Gaudete Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2026. Gaudete is Latin for rejoice, from "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4). Many churches light a rose or pink candle that day, and Zephaniah 3:14 and Isaiah 35 are common readings.
How can I rejoice when life is hard?
Rejoicing in hard times is not denying pain. Habakkuk rejoiced while the fields failed (Habakkuk 3:17-18), and Paul and Silas sang in prison (Acts 16:25). Start small: thank God for one thing each day, sing one hymn or pray one psalm. If sadness will not lift, please talk with a pastor or doctor too.
Is "Rejoice evermore" the shortest verse in the Bible?
In English, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35) is shorter. In the original Greek, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 is often called the shortest verse. Both are worth memorizing, and together they show that Jesus shares our tears and calls us to rejoice.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about joy · Bible verses for Christmas cards · Bible verses about Advent · Bible verses about music · Bible verses about being thankful · Lion and lamb Bible verses
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