With a new Blogmas upon us comes new holiday series! Each year I like to try and focus on different aspects of the holiday season and the history behind them. There is a religious holiday of Christmas and a secular holiday of Christmas. Millions of people (including me) celebrate the secular holiday! However, there are religious elements that weave throughout, including carols. Today is the first in my Christmas carol series for Blogmas- it will be up each Tuesday! Without further adieu, our first Carol of the Day: Joy to the World!
What is a Christmas Carol?
Many people use the word carol to mean any song that has to do with Christmas. However, Christmas carols are specifically songs “celebrating the events of the Nativity of the people involved in it.” (The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, 37.) A good way to think of it: would this song be sung during a Christmas service at a church? (You do not need to be religious to enjoy carols, though!)
“Joy to the World” History
“Joy to the World” still remains one of my favourite Christmas carols- no matter the version, it tends to be upbeat and peppy.
According to The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, this is an “adaptation of Psalm 98 by the prolific English hymnist Isaac Watts (1674-1748) who in his youth wrote the words for a hymn each week for 22 consecutive weeks.” (Encyclopedia, 124.)
The words themselves have largely stayed the same, aside from individual sects changing pieces to fit their theological approaches. However, the music that we now know for “Joy to the World” today did not start being used until 1836.
“Joy to the World” Lyrics
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
Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
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
Are you a fan of Joy to the World?
Cheers,
The Historian
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