Light, joy, happiness, praise. These are words, and realities, that belong in the life of the believer. The Bible says that God is light, in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Darkness is a condition resulting from the absence of light. There is no reason for us to ever live in darkness.

This text shows us that our decisions, in cooperation with the grace of God, brings many benefits. Living godly causes God's light to shine on us at all times. Doing right produces a sense of joy. Happiness, which is a temporary state, is a byproduct of godly living.

The definition of "godly" in the Strong's concordance is "faithful, kind." This helps us understand that godly living is not some super spiritual state. It is our willingness to be faithful to God and his Word. It is a disposition of kindness.

Psalms 4:3 states, "...The LORD has set apart him that is godly for himself."