Editor's note: Enjoy this devotion by Stacy Edwards from 100 Favorite Hymns and celebrate the birth of our Savior!
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Joy to the world!
The Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart
prepare Him room,
And Heav’n and nature sing,
And Heav’n and nature sing,
And Heav’n, and Heav’n
and nature sing.
Gifted in learning and literature, Isaac Watts began writing verses as young as age seven. As a teen, he became frustrated with the songs being sung at his local church. The story is told that, after hearing him complain one too many times, Watts’s father challenged Isaac to give them something better to sing. Watts accepted the challenge, and he began writing a new hymn for each Sunday.
One week, while making his way through the Psalms, Watts wrote “Joy to the World” based on Psalm 98:4. Today there are more versions of “Joy to the World” than any other praise song, with new versions being sung all the time.
The story of Jesus coming to earth was a message of joy to the world.
Just imagine — prophets had been pointing forward to the coming of a Messiah. The people had been waiting for generations. The Scriptures told of a time when a Savior would appear. Everything had been building, and suddenly it was time.
- Joy to the world!
Now we find ourselves waiting with the same anticipation. The Scriptures tell of a time when the Lord will come back. Jesus Himself said that He would be returning for us. We are looking forward to Christ’s return to earth.
No wonder Watts’s song has appealed to so many people for so many years. There really isn’t any better way to describe the arrival of Christ than “Joy to the world.”
Lord, there will be no greater joy than the day I see my King.
Excerpted with permission from 100 Favorite Hymns by Stacy Edwards, copyright Thomas Nelson.
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Your Turn
It’s the second day of Advent and hopefully your soul is rejoicing along with “Heav’n and nature”! The angels announced news that would bring “great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10) — all people for all time, in every circumstance. A Savior! Let’s sing out our praise to Him! ~ Devotionals Daily