"Joy to the World" is a popular Christmas song. The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. It was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection, The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and worship. Watts wrote the lyrics as a hymn glorifying Christ's triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than a Christmas song celebrating his first coming as a baby born in a stable. Only the second half of Watts' lyrics are still used today.
The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from an older melody which was then believed to have originated from Handel, not least because the theme of the refrain ("And heaven and nature sing...") appears in the orchestra opening and accompaniment of the recitative "Comfort Ye" from Handel's Messiah, and the first four notes match the beginning of the choruses "Lift up your heads" and "Glory to God" from the same oratorio. However, Handel did not compose the entire tune.
As of the late 20th century, the song is the most published Christmas hymn in North America.
Lyrics
- Joy to the world the Lord has 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 world the Savior 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
- 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
Appearances in Christmas specials
- Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
- A Very Merry Cricket
- A Claymation Christmas Celebration
- Disney Sing Along Songs: Very Merry Christmas Songs
- Rugrats: "The Santa Experience"
- 101 Dalmatians: "A Christmas Cruella"
- A Johnny Bravo Christmas - Leo, Donny Osmond and Suzy sings it at the special's ending scene.
- The Very First Noel (2006) - Covered by The Brothers Cazimero with the backup choir and combined with elements of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
- Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009) - The first few notes of the song's melody is heard as it incorporated into the opening credits score
- A Frozen Christmas (2016) - Covered by a unknown female singer with a backup children's choir. It is first of the two songs (along with a cover of "Silent Night") heard during the 16 minutes of Christmas display in a virtual snowglobe at the ending.
- A Pentatonix Christmas Special (2017)
- Pentatonix: A Not So Silent Night (2018)
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