Psalms 97:11-12

97:11 The godly bask in the light;

the morally upright experience joy.¹

97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord!

Give thanks to his holy name.²

Isaiah 65:13-14

65:13 So this is what the sovereign Lord says:

“Look, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry!

Look, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty!

Look, my servants will rejoice, but you will be humiliated!

65:14 Look, my servants will shout for joy as happiness fills their hearts!³

But you will cry out as sorrow fills your hearts;⁴

you will wail because your spirits will be crushed.⁵

Matthew 25:20-21

25:20 The⁶ one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir,⁷ you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 25:21 His master answered,⁸ ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’

¹tn Heb “Light is planted for the godly, and for the upright of heart joy.” The translation assumes an emendation of זָרַע (zara’, “planted”) to זָרַח (zara’, “shines”) which collocates more naturally with “light.” “Light” here symbolizes the joy (note the following line) that accompanies deliverance and the outpouring of divine favor.

²tn Heb “to his holy remembrance.” The Hebrew noun זָכַר (zakhar, “remembrance”) here refers to the name of the Lord as invoked in liturgy and praise. Cf. Pss 6:5; 30:4. The Lord’s “name” is “holy” in the sense that it is a reminder of his uniqueness and greatness.

³tn Heb “from the good of the heart.”

⁴tn Heb “from the pain of the heart.”

⁵tn Heb “from the breaking of the spirit.”

⁶tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁷tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph).

⁸tn Grk “His master said to him.”