What does it mean that a merry heart does good (Proverbs 17 ...

“A joyful heart is good medicine,” says Proverbs 17:22 in the English Standard Version. “Medicine” is something that treats or alleviates the ... FindOut HowtogotoHeaven HowtogetrightwithGod HomeContentIndexBooksoftheBibleProverbsMerryheartdoesgood Question Whatdoesitmeanthatamerryheartdoesgood(Proverbs17:22)? Answer FamilylifeandinterpersonalrelationsarethefocusofProverbs17—19.AccordingtoProverbs17:22,ajoyful,positivemindsetiskeytoexperiencinghealthyrelationshipsandafulfillinglife: “Amerryheartdoesgood,likemedicine, Butabrokenspiritdriesthebones”(NKJV). IntheoriginalHebrew,thewordfor“merry”means“joyful,happy,fullofcheer.”The“heart”isaperson’sinnerself,thoughts,emotions,andwill.“Ajoyfulheartisgoodmedicine,”saysProverbs17:22intheEnglishStandardVersion.“Medicine”issomethingthattreatsoralleviatesthesymptomsofdisease.Onecommentarysuggests,“Acheerfulheartcausesgoodhealing”asanappropriateliteraltranslation.TheNETBiblereads,“Acheerfulheartbringsgoodhealing.”TheRevisedEnglishBiblesays,“Agladheartmakesforgoodhealth.” Scripturerepeatedlytestifiestothepotenteffectsofthemindonthebody:“Apeacefulheartleadstoahealthybody;jealousyislikecancerinthebones,”statesProverbs14:30(NLT).“Agladheartmakesahappyface;abrokenheartcrushesthespirit,”declaresProverbs15:13(NLT). “Amerryheartdoesgood”becauseitgenerateshealthandhealingwithinone’sinnerbeing.Bycontrast,“abrokenspiritsapsaperson’sstrength”(Proverbs17:22,NLT).Proverbs12:25explainsthat“anxietyintheheartofmancausesdepression”(NKJV).ThesewisdomsayingsagreewithscientificstudiesfromtheAmericanCollegeofCardiology,HarvardMedicine,andJohnHopkinsthatdemonstratethemind’spowerfulinfluenceoverthebody.Acheerful,contentedtemperamentnotonlyfortifiesourmentalhealthbutenablesustoresisttheattacksofphysicaldisease. Sincetheheartisthecenterofourinnerlife,itsconditionandtonereachtheoutermostpartsofourexistence,includingourbodiesandevenourrelationshipswithothers.Jesussaid,“Whatcomesoutofthemouthproceedsfromtheheart,andthisdefilesaperson”(Matthew15:18,ESV).Ifourheartsareelevated,ourbodieswillbeliftedup,ourwordswillbeuplifting,andourrelationshipswillbeenriched.Ifourheartsarecrushedandbroken,theconditionofourbodieswillbreakdown,andwe’llhavenostrengthtoencourageothers. So,ifagoodmedicineisamerryheart,howcanwefosterandpromoteinternaljoy?ScripturesaysthatGod’slaws,precepts,andstatuesrefreshthesoulandgladdentheheart(Psalm19:7–8;119:111).SpendingtimeinGod’sWord,meditatingonHispromises,isaguaranteedwaytodoyourheartsomegood.TheprophetJeremiahtestified,“Whenyourwordscame,Iatethem;theyweremyjoyandmyheart’sdelight”(Jeremiah15:16). ConsideringGod’sworksandHiswayswillalsomakeourheartsglad.Thepsalmistsang,“Foryoumakemegladbyyourdeeds,LORD;Isingforjoyatwhatyourhandshavedone”(Psalm92:4).WhenBarnabassawthegraceofGod,hisheartwasfilledwithjoy(Acts11:23).WhenwetaketimeeachdaytoconsiderallthatGodhasdoneforusandinthelivesofallHispeople,wecan’thelpbut“begladnowandrejoice,”liketheprophetJoel,“fortheLORDhasdonegreatthings”(Joel2:21,NLT).CountlessScripturepassagesgiveuscausetobejoyfulinGod,whoisthesourceofourjoy(Psalm43:4;Isaiah61:10;Psalm63:5;Luke1:47). TheprophetIsaiahsaid,“Withjoyyouwilldrawwaterfromthewellsofsalvation”(Isaiah12:3).Wecan“rejoiceandbeglad”intheLord’ssalvation(Isaiah25:9).Jesustoldthedisciplesto“rejoicethatyournamesarewritteninheaven”(Luke10:20). Perhapsthemostexcellentwaytocultivateamerryheartthatdoesgood,likemedicine,istospendtimeinGod’spresence.BothKingDavidintheOldTestamentandtheapostlePeterintheNewTestamentfoundtheirgreatestjoyinthepresenceoftheLord(Acts2:28;Psalm16:9–11).InGod’scompany,weexperiencethefullnessofjoy. ForFurtherStudy ProverbsNIVApplicationCommentarybyPaulKoptak MoreinsightsfromyourBiblestudy-GetStartedwithLogosBibleSoftwareforFree! RelatedArticles Whatdoesitmeanthat“asamanthinks,soishe”inProverbs23:7? Whyisamultitudeofcounselorsvaluable(Proverbs15:22)? HowisthenameoftheLordastrongtower(Proverbs18:10)? Whatdoesitmeanthatpridegoesbeforeafall(Proverbs16:18)? Whatdoesitmeanthatthetongueofthewisepromoteshealth(Proverbs12:18)? Returnto: QuestionsaboutProverbs Whatdoesitmeanthatamerryheartdoesgood(Proverbs17:22)? Subscribetothe QuestionoftheWeek GetourQuestionoftheWeekdeliveredrighttoyourinbox! FollowUs: ©Copyright2002-2022GotQuestionsMinistries.Allrightsreserved. PrivacyPolicy Thispagelastupdated:January4,2022