Joy to the World

Hymn for the Day

Joy to the World, a favorite Christmas hymn noted for it’s joyfully triumphant music portraying “all of the glow and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ” comes from Isaac Watts’ efforts to bring New Testament meaning to the Psalms.  Watts based Joy to the World on the last half of Psalm 98:4,8 -  “Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth, . . . Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.” 

Songs and Hymns notes that Joy to the World “includes references to other Bible verses as well, including Gen. 3:17, Rom. 5:20, and Luke 2:10. Yet despite its lack of reference to Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, wise men, or the manger, it became one of the most loved Christmas carols. In a season for celebrating our Savior's birth, Watts' hymn beautifully expresses our joy at the coming of our Savior.”

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Be sure to listen to The Adoration Songbook episodes at the bottom of the Songs and Hymns page.  See the section “Hear Us on the Radio” for some great background to this Isaac Watts favorite.