At the start of 2023, I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year!

Then I began to think, What is a happy year for the people of God? What does the Bible say about being happy? I did a little search-study today and found that the Bible uses the word "happy" 25 times in 21 contexts, giving us essentially 20* straightforward reasons to be happy:

1.) Gen. 30:13: "And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed"

You will be happy if the Lord has blessed you.

2.) Deut. 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!"

You will be happy if you are saved by the Lord.

3.) 1 Kings 10:8 / 2 Chron. 9:7: "Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom."

You will be happy if God has put wise people in your life, so you can learn from their wisdom.

4.) Job 5:17: "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty"

You will be happy if God corrects you.

5.) Psalm 127:4-5: "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them"

You will be happy if you have children.

6.) Psalm 128:1-2: "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."

You will be happy if you fear God and walk with him.

7.) Psalm 137:8-9: "O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones."

You will be happy if you know that the Lord is a just rewarder of the righteous and the wicked.

8.) Psalm 144:15: "Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."

You will be happy if your God is the LORD.

9.) Psalm 146:5: "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God"

You will be happy if your hope is in the LORD your God, and he is your help.

10.) Prov. 3:13-18: "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. [...] She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her."

You will be happy if you find wisdom.

11.) Prov. 14:21: "He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he."

You will be happy if you are merciful to the poor.

12.) Prov. 16:20: "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he."

You will be happy if you trust in the LORD.

13.) Prov. 28:13-14: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief."

You will be happy if you fear God alway.

14.) Prov. 29:18: "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

You will be happy if you keep the law.

15.) John 13:14-17: "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

You will be happy if you follow Jesus' example of humility in deed, washing the feet of his disciples.

16.) Acts 26:2: "I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews"

You will be happy if you have an opportunity to speak the word of God to others.

17.) Rom. 14:22: "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth."

You will be happy if you have a good conscience toward God in faith.

18.) James 5:10-11: "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure."

You will be happy if you patiently endure affliction for the Lord's sake.

19.) 1 Peter 3:14: "But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled"

You will be happy if you suffer for righteousness' sake.

20.) 1 Peter 4:14: "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."

You will be happy if you are reproached for the name of Christ.

The scriptures do not say that you should be happy because of these things; rather, "happy" is used to describe the man who is these things, or does these things. They are not tricks to get happiness. They are not suggestions on what may bring you happiness. They are describing those that walk in God's grace by faith, which is a very happy place to be :)

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(*The other context, in Jeremiah 12:1 and Malachi 3:15, speaks of the wicked and proud. This "happiness" is short-lived, as evidenced by Psalm 73.)