SHARE Magazine October 2016 | Page 34

Joy To The World 1 2 3 4 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. In Praise of Hymn Joy to the earth! 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, 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. Reviewing Great Christian Hymns “Joy to the World” is a popular Christmas carol.1 The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on the second half of 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 song celebrating his first coming.2 The nations are called to celebrate because God’s faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world.3 1-3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World 34 | SHARE|MAGAZINE October - December 2016