As we move into “Christmas” season, Mike will use different Christmas songs as the basis for his next three lessons.
The song we know as “Joy to the World” was actually inspired by Psalm 98. It was written by the “Father of English Hymnody,” Isaac Watts.
However, the truth is that “Joy to the World” was not written as a Christmas song at all! Rather, Watts wrote it as a more “modern” paraphrase of Psalm 98. In this lesson, Mike provides the back story of this revered “Christmas” song.
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. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; 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.
Psalm 98