252. It is similar with many other expressions, as, for instance, when joy is mentioned, there is also a mention of gladness. This is clear in the following passages:

Look, joy and gladness, the slaughtering of an ox, Isaiah 22:13.

Joy and gladness will escort them; sorrow and groaning will flee away, Isaiah 35:10; 51:11.

Cut off from the house of our God are gladness and joy, Joel 1:16.

The sound of joy and the sound of gladness shall be banished, Jeremiah 7:34; 25:10.

The fast of the tenth [month] will become joy and gladness for the house of Judah, Zechariah 8:19.

Be glad in Jerusalem, rejoice in her, Isaiah 66:10.

Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, Lamentations 4:21.

The heavens will be glad, and the earth will rejoice, Psalms 96:11. ¹

You ² will make me hear joy and gladness, Psalms 51:8.

Joy and gladness will be found in Zion, confession and the sound of song, Isaiah 51:3.

There will be gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth, Luke 1:14.

I shall cause to cease the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10.

There will still be heard in this place the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, Jeremiah 33:10-11.

There are other passages too.

The reason why both joy and gladness are mentioned is that joy is used referring to good and gladness referring to truth, in other words joy is used of love and gladness of wisdom. For joy is an emotion of the heart, gladness of the spirit, in other words, joy is of the will and gladness of the understanding. It is plain that there is a marriage of the Lord and the church also in these, because it is said:

The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; 33:10-11.

The Lord is the bridegroom and the church is the bride. For the Lord as bridegroom see Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; and for the church as bride, Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17. This is why John the Baptist said of Jesus:

He who has the bride is the bridegroom, John 3:29.

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