Joy To The World
This hymn "Joy to the World" is a
popular Christmas carol.
The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the
Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection; The Psalms of
David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the
Christian state and worship. Watts wrote the words of "Joy to the World" as a
hymn glorifying Christ's triumphant return at the end of the age,rather than a
Christmas song celebrating his first coming as a babe born in a stable.
The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from
an older melody which was then believed to have originated from Handel, not
least because the theme of the refrain (And heaven and nature sing...) appears
in the orchestra opening and accompaniment of the recitative Comfort ye from
Handel's Messiah
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.