Ecclesiastes 2:1-2 — I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? (Ecclesiastes 2:1-2)

I read a sad thing today. A sad little tag to a desperately sad story. It seems the family of comedian Robin Williams are in court, fighting over his estate. You may remember that the wonderfully funny man took his own life while suffering from depression, in August of last year.
Why is it, do you suppose, that great comedians — men (usually) who spend so much time making people laugh — are so prone to depression? Actually, it seems the question has things backwards. It might better be asked, how come depressed people are such good comedians? It seems the laughter is hiding the sadness. But laughter doesn’t heal the pain. Laughter isn’t the same as happiness.
It’s an old, old, story. Solomon new it. Henry Cowles comments:
His experience compels him to say of laughter. “It is mad.” This Hebrew word for “mad” suggests rather that it shines with a false glare, and plays off a false splendor in which there is nothing substantial.—Of mirth he said, What can it do?
Laughter is not happiness. There is a powerful comparison between the sources of the happiness of the saints and the sources of happiness available in the world. In his “New Topical Handbook” R. A. Torrey provides lists of each:
The happiness of saints comes from:
— Fear of God. Ps 128:1, 2; Pr 28:14.
— Trust in God. Pr 16:20; Php 4:6, 7.
— The words of Christ. Joh 17:13.
— Obedience to God. Ps 40:8; Joh 13:17.
— Salvation. De 33:29; Isa 12:2, 3.
— Hope in the Lord. Ps 146:5.
— Hope of glory. Ro 5:2.
— God being their Lord. Ps 144:15.
— God being their help. Ps 146:5.
— Praising God. Ps 135:3.
— Their mutual love. Ps 133:1.
— Divine chastening. Job 5:17; Jas 5:11.
— Suffering for Christ. 2 Co 12:10; 1 Pe 3:14; 4:13, 14.
— Having mercy on the poor. Pr 14:21.
— Finding wisdom. Pr 3:13.
The “happiness” of the wicked comes from:
— Their wealth. Job 21:13; Ps 52:7.
— Their power. Job 21:7; Ps 37:35.
— Their worldly prosperity. Ps 17:14; 73:3, 4, 7.
— Popular applause. Ac 12:22.
— Gluttony. Isa 22:13; Hab 1:16.
— Drunkenness. Isa 5:11; 56:12.
— Vain pleasure. Job 21:12; Isa 5:12.
— Successful oppression. Hab 1:15; Jas 5:6.
It’s a powerful comparison isn’t it? Which list would you rather have? I think if I only had the world’s list I’d be depressed — and I’m not good comedian material!