Dev: Dec 25 - Joy to the World

Joy to the world,

The Lord is come.

Let earth receive her King!

 

The Father of Hymns. That was the nickname for Isaac Watts (1674-1748), one of the first great English hymn writers. Known also for hymns like "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "Joy to the World" is Watts' Christmas classic. 

 

Except look in any old liturgical hymnal. "Joy to the World" is NOT a Christmas carol! No, it's an Advent hymn!

 

Christmas carols sing of Jesus' nativity, his birth. 

 

Advent Carols look forward. They either take us back to essentially wait with Israel to the first coming of the long prophesied Messiah. Therefore, we sing, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" or "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus."

 

The second set of hymns looks forward toward the coming of Christ from our vantage point, which will be, of course, the second coming. Songs like "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending," point to Christ's return. Hymns like "Rejoice, rejoice, believers!" use second coming imagery from Jesus' prophecies at the end of Matthew, like, "See that your lamps are burning."

 

"Joy to the World" has a different focus (which is why I included it for Christmas Day!). It doesn't focus on past events - angels, shepherds, and a pregnant lady on a weary donkey, coming into a little town like Bethlehem. "Joy to the World" stands confidently in the present -- "the Lord IS come." It's not "did" come or "will" come someday in the future; rather, this is our present reality -- "The Lord IS come."

 

Monica Hunter writes, "'Joy to the World' was ... based on Psalm 98: Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth ... Rejoice and sing ... With trumpets ... make a joyful noise ... for he cometh to judge the earth ... and the people with equity. ... Christmas [may not] always be a joyful time, but when Jesus comes back, even the rocks will sing!"

Now, I don't care whether you sing "Joy to the World" in Advent ... or at Christmas ... or on any random third Thursday in any month starting with a "J." Rather, what I hope is that "no more [will we] let sins and sorrows grow" but that "every heart [will] prepare him room, and heav'n and nature [… and you!] [will] sing."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is singing,

"Joy to the World"

and is wishing you,

"Merry Christmas"