Philippians 4:4 (ASV)

Passage

Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.

Nearby Context

Philippians 4:2 I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord.

Philippians 4:3 Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice.

Philippians 4:5 Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Philippians 4:6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "rejoice", "lord", "always", and "again". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "rejoice" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Yea I beseech thee also true yokefellow..." into verse 5's "Let your forbearance be known unto all...", so "rejoice" and "lord" belong inside that flow. In Philippians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "rejoice" and "lord" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.