A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
Proverbs 17:22
What does Proverbs 17:22 mean?
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Proverbs 17:22
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The original Hebrew word translated as "medicine" here is unique to this verse and likely means "healing" or "recovery." This shifts the emphasis from a passive potion to an active restoration, suggesting that a joyful heart doesn't just treat illness, it brings about healing itself.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This proverb comes from a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast wise, righteous living with foolish, wicked behavior. It's part of a section focusing on the importance of wise speech and maintaining healthy relationships, often directly opposing foolishness or anger. The verses surrounding this one explore themes of slander, reconciliation, and the consequences of impulsive words and actions.
Ever felt a burst of joy lift your spirits when you were feeling down? This verse suggests it's more than just a feeling.
Proverbs 17:22 highlights that a joyful heart possesses a healing quality, impacting our physical well-being. The original language suggests this isn't just 'like' medicine, but that cheerfulness is a good medicine or brings about good healing.
A Force for Wellness
Think of it this way: positive emotions can actively contribute to health. A mind filled with cheer, contentment, and even spiritual gladness can strengthen your body's ability to fight off illness and maintain vigor. It's about more than just feeling good; it's about your inner state promoting outward health.
We often talk about 'heartbreak,' but what does Scripture mean when it talks about a 'crushed spirit' affecting us so deeply?
The second half of Proverbs 17:22 presents a stark contrast: 'but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.' This isn't just about sadness; it points to a deep, debilitating despair.
A Slow Drain on Life
'Drying up the bones' is a powerful image suggesting a wasting away of vitality, strength, and even the very core of one's being. This kind of spiritual brokenness can deplete energy, lead to physical ailments, and leave a person feeling hollowed out. It emphasizes that our emotional and spiritual health is intrinsically linked to our physical resilience.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
leb · Hebrew Noun
The core of a person’s being, including the intellect, emotions, and will; it is the center of human moral and spiritual life.
ruach · Hebrew Noun
The inner vitality or life-force of a person; when "crushed" or "broken," it indicates a state of extreme depression, hopelessness, or spiritual exhaustion.
This verse echoes the Proverbs passage by commanding believers to 'rejoice in the Lord always,' highlighting how spiritual joy can be a source of strength and well-being, just as a 'merry heart' is presented as beneficial.
Psalm 30:11This psalm speaks of God turning mourning into dancing and loosening ropes of grief, illustrating the profound physical and emotional restoration that comes from divine intervention and a joyful spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23The 'fruit of the Spirit' includes 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,' suggesting that a spirit cultivated by God naturally tends toward well-being and resilience, counteracting a 'crushed spirit.'
Ecclesiastes 9:7-9This passage encourages enjoying life, food, and drink with one's spouse, framing it as a gift from God that is beneficial, aligning with the idea that a joyful approach to life contributes to a healthy spirit and body.
barnesProverbs 17:22: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."
Doeth good like a medicine - Better, worketh a good healing. Omit "like."
bensonProverbs 17:22: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."
Proverbs 17:22 . A merry heart — Cheerfullness of mind, especially that which is solid, and ariseth from the testimony of a good conscience; doeth good like a medicine — Even to the body; it contributes very much to the restoration or preservation of bodily health and vigour, as physicians observe and experience shows; but a broken spirit — A spirit sad and dejected; drieth the bones — Wasteth the…
The original Hebrew word translated as "medicine" here is unique to this verse and likely means "healing" or "recovery." This shifts the emphasis from a passive potion to an active restoration, suggesting that a joyful heart doesn't just treat illness, it brings about healing itself.
This proverb comes from a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast wise, righteous living with foolish, wicked behavior. It's part of a section focusing on the importance of wise speech and maintaining healthy relationships, often directly opposing foolishness or anger. The verses surrounding this one explore themes of slander, reconciliation, and the consequences of impulsive words and actions.
This proverb comes from a larger collection of wisdom sayings that contrast wise, righteous living with foolish, wicked behavior. It's part of a section focusing on the importance of wise speech and maintaining healthy relationships, often directly opposing foolishness or anger. The verses surrounding this one explore themes of slander, reconciliation, and the consequences of impulsive words and actions.
"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." — The original Hebrew word translated as "medicine" here is unique to this verse and likely means "healing" or "recovery." This shifts the emphasis from a passive potion to an active restoration, sugge…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026