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"Joy To The World" Hymn Lyrics

Words by Isaac Watts (1719)

Music (ANTIOCH) adapted from George Frideric Handel

Verse 1

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 nature sing.

Verse 2

Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns! Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy.

Repeat the sounding joy. Repeat the sounding joy.

Verse 3

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 the curse is found.

Verse 4

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 of His love.

The Author: Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Isaac Watts is often referred to as the "Father of English Hymnody." He was a brilliant theologian, logician, and minister who revolutionized congregational singing in the English-speaking world.

  • Background: Watts was a non-conformist (a dissenter from the Church of England) and served as an influential pastor in London.
  • The Problem with Psalms: In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, church music was primarily limited to singing metrical versions of the Psalms (called "lining out"), which were often dull and tedious. Legend says that as a teenager, Watts complained to his father about the quality of the music. His father challenged him: "Then write something better, son!"
  • Significance: Watts took up the challenge and spent his life writing hymns that used contemporary, poetic language to interpret the Psalms and other Scripture, giving Christians words to express their faith with emotion and theological depth. His work liberated congregational singing and laid the groundwork for modern hymnody.

Background & Scriptural Significance

The Hymn's True Origin

Despite its firm status as a Christmas carol, "Joy to the World" was not originally written for Christmas!

  • Source Material: Watts wrote the lyrics in 1719 as a paraphrase of the second half of Psalm 98.
  • The Title: It was published in his collection, The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament. Watts’ intention was to turn the ancient Hebrew song of praise into a song about Christ's Second Coming and ultimate reign. The joy is about the King's final, victorious, and permanent rule over the entire world.

Hymn Line

Psalm 98  Focus

Significance

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King"

Psalm 98:4: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth..." Psalm 98:6: "...before the Lord, the King."

This line fuses the joy of the Psalm with the New Testament reality of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whose coming (whether first or second) demands recognition and submission from the world.

"And heaven and nature sing."

Psalm 98:7-8: "Let the sea roar... Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together."

This expresses a comprehensive, universal praise that involves all of creation, affirming God's power over the natural order.

"No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;"

This shifts focus from the Psalm to Genesis 3:17-18 (the curse): "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it... Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth..."

Watts inserts the theme of Christ as the one who reverses the Genesis curse. His reign promises the end of sin, sorrow, and the physical decay of the world.

"He rules the world with truth and grace..."

Psalm 98:9: "For he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."

Watts tempers the Old Testament picture of judgment ("righteousness") with the New Testament concept of grace, presenting Christ's rule as both just and merciful.

 The Music Lore (Handel)

  • The soaring, majestic melody (called "ANTIOCH") we associate with the hymn was not the tune Watts originally used. It was arranged in 1833 by American composer Lowell Mason, who is believed to have adapted it from musical phrases found in works by George Frideric Handel, particularly his oratorio Messiah.
  • The dramatic opening is very similar to the introductory passages in Messiah, lending the hymn a powerful, celebratory feeling that makes it perfect for Christmas. The music embodies the "joy" of the text, giving the impression of a procession welcoming a King.

 

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