Why Joy To The World is Not A Christmas Song
"The great irony is that the greatest of Christmas carols, was not written as a Christmas carol. It was written to express something more deeply profound."
Yesterday, I led a choir, vocal team, wind ensemble, handbell choir, and congregation in a rousing rendition of “Joy To The World”. The sanctuary of my church rang with sound as everyone heartily sang “Let earth receive her King!” I imagine many congregations around the world were doing the same. But the great irony is that the greatest of Christmas carols is not a Christmas song. It was written to express something more deeply profound.
Paraphrased Psalms
Today, Isaac Watts is known as the father of English hymnody. And until he came onto the scene in the 17th century, protestant worship around the world, with the exception of Lutheran Germany, consisted almost exclusively of metered Psalms.
Learn more about metered Psalms
While Watts eventually revolutionized English worship by exploring and establishing free-verse hymnody, most of his work is derivative of the Psalms. This means that his paraphrases are more indirect than direct.
First published in 1719, Joy To the World appeared in a collection of paraphrased Psalms. Though it is sung today as a freestanding hymn, its meaning can only be understood within the context of the Psalter. Joy To The World is not a Christmas song.
Psalm 98
1 Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Calling Creation to Praise
Watts understood Psalm 98 in a christological light, in reference to the worldwide celebration of the Messiah. Not only does the Psalm call all people to rejoice at His coming, but nature itself is called to exultation.
Where the biblical text specifically references features of creation such as rivers and the sea offering praise, Watts includes all of creation in his invitational phrase “Let earth receive her King.”
And again in verse three he calls inanimate objects from the earth to join in worship, stating “While fields & floods, rocks, hills & plains repeat the sounding joy.”
The absence of any mention or allusion to the nativity in the hymn is worth noting. This obvious omission further builds the case that Joy To The World is Not About Christmas. Something greater is in store.
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Prophecy
As strange as it may sound, Watts’ hymn is probably best described as a hymnic commentary on prophecy and eschatology (End-times study). In other words, Watts summarizes all of humanity in a few short verses. This can be seen in verse three.
“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.”
Here, Watts departs from the usual practice of strictly paraphrasing the Psalms. Poets in his day would normally work solely on the text at hand, moving phrase by phrase to create an easily singable finished product. But Watts deviates from standard practice and innovates by adding interpretive text, based on other scripture.
He creates commentary on Psalm 98 in his third stanza by recalling themes from Genesis 3, where God cursed Adam and Eve for their sin.
- God cursed the woman by multiplying her pain in child bearing. (“Sorrows grow” – Watts)
- He cursed the man by causing the ground to grow thorns and thistles. (“Nor thorns infest the ground” -Watts)
It is not enough for Watts to celebrate the coming of the prophesied savior. He expands his paraphrased Psalm to observe what creation is being saved from. He demonstrates by referencing the fall, that the messiah came to remove the curse in full. By doing this, the messiah conquers the most painful part of the curse, death itself. (Genesis 3:19)
Thy Kingdom Come
Watts saves his greatest claim of victory for verse four.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
This complete summation of the work of the messiah doesn’t stop with the removal of sin and death, but the ushering in of an eternal kingdom in which the Messiah Himself rules. It is interesting to note the present aspect of this kingdom, as Watts doesn’t push it off into the vague future, but describes Messiah’s reign as in the here and now.
The world portrayed by Watts’ final verse is one in which the Savior reigns through the nations, not the governments, but the Messiah’s people, scattered across the earth. This is the present reality of Christ’ church.
Not a Baby, But a Warrior-King
And so “Joy to the World” is no nativity hymn. It is not a “Silent Night,” causing us to dwell on Jesus’ humanity. The image of Christ depicted this time is no fragile baby, born humbly in a stable, but the conquering Warrior-King described in glorious detail in Revelation.
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems…” (Revelation 19:11-12 esv)
As important as it is for us to understand Jesus’ humanity, we should never lose sight of His divinity. It is often said that “Christmas has its cradle and Easter has its cross.” One day, our perceptions of both will dramatically change, when we see the Son of Man revealed in glory. “Let earth receive her King!”