Lessons From Carolsনমুনা

The lyrics for “Joy to the World” were written by Isaac Watts in 1719. Like many young people, Watts found the church’s music boring and unjoyful. When he complained to his father, his father encouraged him to take action. This creative challenge resulted in Isaac Watts composing over six hundred hymns and poems. These included: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” “This is the Day the Lord Has Made,” and the poem, “Joy to the World.” The church began to sing the poem to the tune of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”

1. Joy to the world; the Lord is come;

Let Earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heav'n and nature sing.

2. Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns;

Our mortal songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy.

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.

4. He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of his righteousness,

And wonders of his love.

Forty years after Isaac Watts’s death, Lowell Mason wrote a piece called “Antioch,” but he could not come up with words that fit the melody. Eventually, he came across Isaac Watts’s poem, “Joy to the World,” and providentially, it fit with the melody of “Antioch.” In 1911, popular singer Elise Stevenson joined Trinity Choir for a Christmas release of “Joy to the World.”

The carol’s first two stanzas are a call to praise God. We will join heaven and nature to worship our God with songs of praise. We know that the heavens praise God, but what about nature? Does nature praise God? Luke 19:39-40 says that stones will cry out to God in songs of praise. Stones are not living beings, yet they will cry out in praise to God. How much more should living beings cry out to Him?

Stanza 3 says, “No more let sins or sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found.” This stanza refers to Genesis 3:17-18, which discusses the curse that the earth is suffering due to man’s sin. God has sent His only Son to dwell among us and bring salvation. Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection extend God’s blessing to all of mankind and of the earth to break the curse. This blessing will be found in every area of life under sin’s grasp, and through it, the Earth will be healed.

The carol’s fourth stanza alludes to Philippians 2:10-11, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Every knee will bow to Him. Every tongue will confess His righteousness and love.

Upon examining the lyrics, we see that “Joy to the World” is not a traditional Christmas carol, per se. It is a song praising God’s glorious plan to redeem mankind and the earth from the curse of sin and proclaiming Christ’s Lordship over the earth. The only part related to Christmas is the phrase, “The Lord has come.” The reason that it is associated with Christmas is that in 1911, Elise Stevenson included it on a Christmas album. However, it certainly is one of the most popular Christmas carols.

The message of the carol is joy. Christmastime is not always a time of joy for everyone, and many people struggle with depression and anxiety during the holidays. “Joy to the World” contains the message that many of us need to hear during the holidays. Actually, it should be sung year-round, as it inspires a joy unparalleled by most of the music sung in the church today. This Christmas season, lift your voice in joyous praise to our Lord who has come.