20 Bible Verses about Amusements

Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the end of joy may be grief.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars.

Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

“They send forth their little ones like the flock,
And their children skip about.
“They sing to the timbrel and harp
And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”

Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine;
But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord,
Nor do they consider the work of His hands.

Who improvise to the sound of the harp,
And like David have composed songs for themselves,

And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’

But he said,
“It is not the sound of the cry of triumph,
Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat;
But the sound of singing I hear.”
It came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.

Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies—

It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. The women sang as they played, and said,
“Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.”

For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.

A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee;

They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)