“And heaven ‘n nature sing! And heaven ‘n nature sing!”
Is anything more indicative that Christmas season has arrived than that familiar chorus wafting triumphantly through the air?
Ironically, the basis for these words is separated from the events of the nativity by over 2000 years.
“Joy to the World” as a hymn that reflects on the universal joy that should accompany the coming of the Lord, drawing inspiration from Psalm 98. The lyrics of the song were penned by Englishman Isaac Watts, a prolific hymn writer. The “Father of English Hymnody” published the lyrics in 1719 as part of his collection of hymns titled “The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament.”
Ironically, just as “Joy to the World” is not actually a Christmas song, Psalm 98 is not actually attributed to David.
The specific inspiration for the hymn came from verses 4-9 of Psalm 98. These verses express the joy of all creation at the second coming of the Lord. Watts adapted and paraphrased the psalmic text to create the lyrics that we now erroneously associate with Christ’s first advent.
A closer look at the Psalms shows us that Psalms 96 and 97 are thematically tied to Psalm 98, each of them celebrating the Messiah’s rule over the entire world. As we know (and as Watts knew) from the New Testament, Jesus did not rule over the whole earth during his first coming.
In another twist of misunderstandings, the musical setting commonly used for “Joy to the World” is attributed to the German composer George Frideric Handel. However, the melody was likely adapted by Lowell Mason in the 19th century from themes found in Handel’s works, thus lending to the misattribution to the “Messiah’s” composer.
I love to sing “Joy to the World,” and I love to play it and hear it played. Its lively and awe-inspiring melody, combined with the exuberant lyrics, has made it a timeless and festive addition to Christmas celebrations around the world.
Personally, I am not opposed to its inclusion during the Christmas season, but I think it should always be placed in its proper context.
Just as we remind people that Santa Claus doesn’t actually deliver gifts on Christmas Eve, we should never sing or play “Joy to the World” without reminding people that it’s not a song about Christ’s birth.
Misappropriated theology is bad theology, and if we sing or play this hymn unaware of its true message, we communicate misinformation and confusion about what really happened when Christ came to earth the first time.
Here’s an idea: Read Psalm 98 together before singing the song so that Scripture can breathe even more life into Watts’ lyrics!
One Reply to “Hymn Story: Joy to the World”