What the Bible Says About Laughter – Proverbs 17:22 Joy

You know the sound.

It’s that deep, rolling belly laugh from a friend across the dinner table. It’s the infectious, high-pitched giggle of a child chasing bubbles in the park. It’s the quiet chuckle you share with your spouse over a private joke. Laughter is a universal language, a true melody of the human spirit. It feels like one of life’s purest gifts. But for those of us who walk in faith, a question can creep in, especially when life gets heavy or church feels particularly solemn. What does the Bible say about laughter? Is it frivolous? Is it holy? Is there room for real, heartfelt mirth in a life devoted to God?

That search often leads to a powerful verse in the Old Testament, a piece of wisdom that feels both ancient and incredibly modern. Proverbs 17:22. “A cheerful heart is good medicine,” it says, “but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” This single line opens up a rich, nuanced, and joyful theology of laughter. It’s a view that doesn’t ignore sorrow. Instead, it champions a deep-seated joy as a source of divine healing and strength. This goes beyond telling jokes. It’s about understanding the very heartbeat of God’s design for our emotional and spiritual health.

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Key Takeaways

• Laughter is presented in the Bible as a God-given gift, with a cheerful heart being described as “good medicine” for the soul in Proverbs 17:22.
• The Scriptures make a clear distinction between the godly joy that leads to life-giving laughter and the foolish, scornful, or empty laughter that it warns against.
• True biblical joy is identified as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), a deep and enduring state that is not dependent on fleeting external circumstances.
• The Bible acknowledges that there is a proper time for both laughter and weeping (Ecclesiastes 3:4), recognizing both as essential parts of a full, authentic, and God-honoring human experience.
• Our ultimate joy and the source of our most profound laughter are found not in temporary pleasures but in God’s character, His promises, and His redemptive work in our lives.

Is It Even Okay for a Christian to Laugh?

For some, the picture of a devout Christian is one of constant seriousness. We imagine stoic figures, heads bowed, far too concerned with the weight of sin and eternity to crack a smile. I’ll admit, I’ve felt that pressure. I grew up where the reverence in the sanctuary was thick enough to cut with a knife. A beautiful reverence, but a heavy one. I remember being a young boy, maybe seven or eight, squirming in a hard wooden pew next to my dad. The sermon dragged on. My mind drifted. Sensing my restlessness, my dad caught my eye and gave me a tiny, almost imperceptible wink.

That was it.

For some reason, it struck me as the funniest thing in the world. A bubble of laughter rose in my chest. I fought it with all my might, my shoulders shaking. Seeing me struggle, my dad started to shake, too. Soon, we were both silently crying with laughter, trying desperately to hide behind our hymn books. It felt both terribly wrong and wonderfully right. In that moment, a shared, silent laugh in a sacred space didn’t feel like a violation. It felt like a spark of life. A reminder that joy can’t be bottled up.

This is the beautiful truth of our faith. Christianity isn’t a religion of perpetual gloom. At its core, it is the “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Our God is not a cosmic killjoy; He is the inventor of joy, the author of laughter. The Bible is filled with commands to “rejoice,” “be glad,” and “shout for joy.” This isn’t a suggestion. It’s a directive. It’s an invitation to experience the fullness of life that God intends for us, a life that isn’t devoid of laughter. In fact, it’s meant to be defined by a deep and abiding joy that can’t be contained.

What Does Proverbs 17:22 Really Mean by ‘A Merry Heart Does Good, Like Medicine’?

This verse is the cornerstone. It’s a profound piece of divine wisdom about the powerful link between our spirit and our body. Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, gave us a prescription for health that predates modern psychology by millennia. To really get it, we have to look closer at what it says—and what it doesn’t.

It doesn’t say, “A funny situation is good medicine.” It says, “A merry heart.” The healing power isn’t in the external stimulus. It’s in the internal disposition. This is a game-changer. It takes the source of our well-being out of the hands of circumstance and places it squarely in the realm of the spirit.

How is a ‘Merry Heart’ Different from Just Being Happy?

We tend to use “happy” and “joyful” interchangeably, but the Bible draws an important distinction. Happiness is circumstantial. We are happy when things go our way. A promotion, a vacation, a win for our team. It’s a reaction. But what happens when the promotion doesn’t come, the vacation is a washout, or the team loses? The happiness vanishes.

A “merry heart,” from the Hebrew word śāmēaḥ, points to something much deeper. It describes a state of being, a deep-seated gladness that comes from within. In the Bible, this isn’t just a positive mental attitude. It is a joy rooted in the unchanging character and promises of God. It’s the joy Paul spoke of from a prison cell when he told the Philippians to “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). He wasn’t happy about his circumstances. But his heart was merry because his joy wasn’t in his freedom but in his Lord. That is the kind of heart that heals.

Can Laughter Literally Heal Us?

Solomon’s wisdom here is incredibly ahead of its time. Today, medical science confirms that laughter is, quite literally, good medicine. Institutions like the Mayo Clinic have documented its amazing benefits. A real laugh boosts your oxygen intake, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and releases endorphins in your brain. It fires up and then cools down your stress response, leaving you relaxed. Over time, it can improve your immune system, relieve pain, and lift your mood.

The other half of the proverb is the flip side: “but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Anyone who has walked through grief or depression knows this feeling. It’s not just emotional; it feels physical. It shows up as exhaustion, a weakened immune system, a literal ache in your bones. God designed our bodies and souls to be connected. A spirit filled with joy promotes health. A spirit crushed by despair can lead to decay. It’s a holistic view of health that we’re only now beginning to fully appreciate.

If God Loves Laughter, Why Does the Bible Warn Against It?

Here, a simplistic “laughter is always good” theology falls apart. The Bible isn’t a one-note book. It’s full of nuance, and it clearly speaks of a time to laugh while also warning against certain kinds of it. If we ignore these warnings, we miss the point. You can find verses that seem to praise sorrow and condemn laughter, creating a confusing contradiction.

But it’s not a contradiction. The Bible simply distinguishes between different types of laughter, just as it distinguishes between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. The key is understanding the source. The Bible doesn’t condemn laughter from a merry heart. It warns against laughter from a foolish, arrogant, or empty one.

What’s the Deal with ‘Sorrow Is Better Than Laughter’?

In Ecclesiastes 7:3, the Teacher states, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.” This seems to fly in the face of Proverbs 17:22. But the Teacher in Ecclesiastes is on a specific mission: to find meaning “under the sun.” He’s looking at life from a purely earthly perspective. The next verse gives us the context: “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”

His point isn’t that being sad is more virtuous than being happy. He’s saying that facing the reality of death (the “house of mourning”) forces us to think deeply and gain wisdom. In contrast, the “house of mirth” he talks about is a place of shallow, thoughtless pleasure-seeking. It’s a distraction. The laughter of the fool is empty escapism. The sorrow of the wise is a tool that leads to a better, more understanding heart. It’s purposeful sorrow versus purposeless fun.

When Jesus Said, ‘Woe to You Who Laugh Now,’ What Did He Mean?

This is another tough one, from Luke 6:25. Jesus says, “Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” Is Jesus condemning laughter itself? No. To understand this “woe,” we have to look at the “blessing” it’s paired with just before: “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21).

Jesus is talking about a great reversal. The laughter He condemns belongs to the self-satisfied and arrogant who feel no need for God. It’s the laughter of those who find their total fulfillment in this world, who mock the idea of needing a Savior. Their laughter is a symptom of spiritual blindness. The “weeping,” however, is the sorrow of those who know their spiritual poverty, who mourn their sin, and who long for God. Jesus promises that those who have this godly sorrow now will one day experience eternal, unending laughter in His Kingdom.

Did Jesus Himself Ever Laugh?

This question is fascinating. The Gospels never explicitly state, “And Jesus laughed.” We read that He wept, He felt anger, He had compassion, He was amazed. But there’s no specific record of His laughter. Some take this silence to mean He was a somber, sorrowful figure, constantly burdened by the world’s sin.

I believe that view misses who He was. He was, as the creed states, “fully human.” Laughter is a fundamental part of being human. A Jesus who never laughed isn’t truly one of us. While the Bible may not record the act, it records the character of a man filled with joy.

Think about it. He went to wedding feasts. He was accused of being “a glutton and a drunkard” (Matthew 11:19) because He celebrated life with ordinary people. He took children into His arms and blessed them (Mark 10:16)—and you can’t be around kids for long without laughter erupting. His teachings were full of wit and brilliant hyperbole, like a camel going through a needle’s eye.

These are the marks of a man with a keen sense of the absurd and a joyful spirit. Hebrews 12:2 says that for the “joy that was set before him,” He endured the cross. Joy wasn’t just an emotion for Jesus. It was his fuel. It was his goal. A joyless Messiah just doesn’t fit the “good news” He personified.

Where Can We Find Examples of Godly Laughter in the Bible?

While the Bible warns against foolish mirth, it’s also filled with moments where laughter is a direct response to God’s goodness and surprising work. These instances show us what godly laughter looks like. It’s tied to fulfilled promises, redemption, and the sheer delight of seeing God’s faithfulness.

What About Sarah’s Laughter?

Sarah’s story in Genesis is one of the most powerful examples of laughter in Scripture. It starts not with joy, but with cynicism. When ninety-year-old Sarah overhears that she will have a son, she does what many of us would do. She laughs to herself (Genesis 18:12). It’s a bitter, weary laugh. The laugh of a woman whose hope has long since died. The laugh that says, “Impossible.”

God calls her out on it. “Why did Sarah laugh?” But then God does what He does best. He turns her laughter of doubt into a laughter of delight. A year later, she holds her son. And his name? Isaac, which means, “He laughs.” In Genesis 21:6, her transformation is complete. She declares, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” This is redemptive laughter. It’s the joy that erupts when the impossible becomes possible, when God’s ridiculous promise becomes a living, breathing reality in her arms. Her joy is so profound she knows it has to be shared.

Doesn’t God Laugh Too?

The Bible even describes God Himself laughing. Psalm 2:4 says, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” This isn’t Sarah’s warm, joyful laughter. This is the laughter of derision, aimed at arrogant rulers who plot against Him. God’s laughter here is an expression of His absolute sovereignty. He isn’t threatened. He isn’t worried. The rebellious schemes of humanity are, to Him, laughable. It’s a terrifying sound for His enemies. For those who trust in Him, it’s a profound comfort. It reminds us that God is in complete control, no matter how chaotic the world seems.

This is a different kind of laughter from Zephaniah 3:17, which says the Lord your God “will take great delight in you… will rejoice over you with singing.” One is a laugh of sovereign power, the other a song of fatherly delight. Both reveal the character of our amazing God.

How Can We Cultivate More Godly Laughter in Our Lives?

Knowing joy is a gift from God is one thing. Living in it, especially when life is hard, is another. I learned this the hard way a decade ago when I was laid off from a job I loved. The financial pressure was immense. The blow to my identity was even worse. The “crushed spirit” from Proverbs became my reality. I felt my bones drying up.

One evening, a good friend came over. He didn’t bring a casserole or a list of job openings. He brought a stack of ridiculously dumb 80s comedies. He didn’t offer platitudes. He just sat with me on my couch and we watched a movie. For the first time in weeks, I laughed. It started as a chuckle, then grew into a deep, aching, side-splitting belly laugh. It didn’t pay the mortgage. It didn’t find me a new job. But it broke the spell of despair. It was a dose of medicine that reminded me that life, and God’s grace, was bigger than my circumstances.

Is Joy a Choice or a Feeling?

That experience taught me that while we can’t force laughter, we can cultivate a heart where joy can grow. The Bible calls joy a “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). That’s crucial. It’s not something we can manufacture on our own. It’s something the Holy Spirit produces in us as we remain connected to Christ. Like fruit on a vine, it grows naturally when the connection to the source is strong.

But we have a role to play. We are the gardeners of our own hearts. We can cultivate the soil through intentional practices that position us to receive the joy God offers.

• Practicing Gratitude: We can consciously shift our focus from what we lack to what we have. A thankful heart is fertile ground for joy.
• Dwelling on Truth: We can choose to fill our minds with God’s promises from Scripture rather than the anxieties and fears peddled by the world.
• Engaging in Fellowship: Isolating ourselves when we are down is a natural tendency, but it’s a spiritual mistake. Joy is often found and shared in community, just as it was for me on that couch.
• Serving Others: Getting our minds off of our own problems and focusing on the needs of others is a powerful antidote to a crushed spirit.

What’s the Difference Between Joy and Fun?

It’s also crucial to distinguish between joy and fun. Our culture is obsessed with fun. Fun is great, but it’s not the same as joy. Fun is an event; joy is a state of being. Fun is external; joy is internal. Fun is temporary; joy can be eternal.

Think of it this way:

• An amusement park is fun. Knowing you are unconditionally loved by God is joy.
• A great comedy special is fun. Having unshakeable hope for the future is joy.
• A surprise party is fun. The quiet confidence that God is working all things for your good is joy.

We should have fun. God isn’t against fun! But we must not mistake it for the deep, abiding joy that is our spiritual inheritance. We can have joy even when fun is impossible. That is the supernatural medicine of a merry heart.

A Foretaste of Eternal Joy

The Bible’s message about laughter is both beautiful and balanced. It is not a command to ignore pain or to put on a happy face when our hearts are breaking. There is a time to weep, and God honors that sorrow. But that is not the end of the story.

The laughter God treasures is a deep, resilient, and defiant joy. It is Sarah’s laughter holding her miracle baby. It is the joy of the disciples when they saw the risen Lord. It is the cheerful heart that serves as medicine to a weary soul, reminding us that our hope is not in this fleeting world but in the eternal promises of a faithful God.

Proverbs 17:22 isn’t just good advice. It’s a spiritual principle. Cultivating a merry heart is an act of faith. It’s looking at the chaos and pain of the world and choosing to rejoice in the Lord anyway. Every genuine laugh that springs from gratitude and hope is a small victory. It’s a tiny echo of the great, cosmic laughter that will one day fill the new heavens and the new earth. It is a foretaste of that day when He “will wipe every tear from their eyes,” and sorrow will be replaced by everlasting joy.

FAQ – What the Bible Says About Laughter