In honor of the Advent season, here’s an incredible rendition of one of my favorite Christmas carols, Joy to the World. Why is it my favorite? Check out the lyrics, for real this time. They are so commonly sung (and mis-sung) that we glance over them, not realizing the power behind the words. Read these lyrics, penned by the brilliant Isaac Watts:
Verse 1
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.Verse 2
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.Verse 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,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.Verse 4
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.
Great stuff. Here’s Joshua James (an incredible artist in his own right) with Joy to the World: