Joy to the World: A Song Born from Scripture
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Psalm 98:4
When we sing “Joy to the World,” during our holiday season I would picture shepherds, angels, and a manger and the quiet of the night bursting into celebratory song. I know that is in fact not what occurs, so I thought I’d look into the origin of hymn. What I’ve learned surprised me. Written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, Joy to the World was not originally intended to be a Christmas carol. Instead, it was Watts’ poetic reflection on Psalm 98, a psalm celebrating the reign of the Lord over all creation. Watts interpreted this psalm as a celebration of Jesus’s role as King of both his church and the whole world. It was more than a century later, the second half of this poem was slightly adapted and set to music to give us what has become one of the most famous of all Christmas carols.
So then, about Psalm 98 – it proclaims a world transformed by the coming of God’s righteous King. The psalmist calls not only people, but all of God’s creation to rejoice. Watts captured this vision in lines like “Let earth receive her King” and “While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy.” This is joy that cannot be contained - it is shared by all creation.
The joy described in this hymn is rooted not only in Christ’s birth, but in His victory and reign. The line “He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found” points us back to Genesis and forward to redemption. It reminds us that Christ came to reverse the effects of sin and restore what has been broken.
Biblical joy is not dependent on circumstances. It flows from the assurance that the Lord reigns and that His kingdom is still unfolding. Even in times of hardship, we are invited to live with hope, trusting that God is at work making all things new.
Now when I sing Joy to the World, I’m not only remembering Christ’s first coming—I am proclaiming His present reign and His promised return. The song is two things, a declaration of praise and a statement of faith.
Lord, You are the King who has come and who will come again. Fill our hearts with true joy—not rooted in circumstances, but in Your victory and faithfulness. Help us join all creation in praising You, and let our lives echo the joy we sing. Amen.