Joy to the World
Isaac Watts's exuberant paraphrase of Psalm 98 announcing the reign of Christ.
Download PDFIsaac Watts's exuberant paraphrase of Psalm 98 announcing the reign of Christ. Written by Isaac Watts (1719), set to the tune "Antioch" by Lowell Mason (arr.).
Suggested pairing scripture
Psalm 98:4
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."
Read Psalm 98:4 (KJV) aloud as a call to worship before the congregation sings "Joy to the World." It anchors the hymn in the Word from which it flows.
Read in contextWhen to sing this
Sing at outdoor services, harvest festivals, and gatherings that lift up the Creator's handiwork.
Lyrics
Stanza 1
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.
Stanza 2
Joy to the earth! the Saviour 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.
Stanza 3
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as the curse is found.
Stanza 4
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.
History & Background
Published in Watts's 'The Psalms of David Imitated' (1719) as a New Testament rendering of Psalm 98. Lowell Mason adapted the now-familiar tune 'Antioch' in 1839, often crediting Handel for fragments of the melody.
Scripture Behind the Hymn
Psalm 98:4
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."Read in context
Psalm 98:9
"He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with equity."Read in context
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Joy to the World a Christmas hymn?
It is sung most often at Christmas, but Watts wrote it about Christ's second coming — His final reign over a renewed earth — based on Psalm 98.
Related Hymns
Other hymns that share themes or scripture with Joy to the World.
Related Reading
Continue your study with related content from across our library:
Joy to the World
Isaac Watts • 1719
Crown Him With Many Crowns
Matthew Bridges & Godfrey Thring • 1851
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Psalm 103:1 — Meaning & Devotional
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Psalm 100:4 — Meaning & Devotional
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Psalm 34:1 Commentary
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Where to go next
Enjoyed "Joy to the World"? These pages pair well with it for worship planning.
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- Today's Bible verse (KJV)A fresh verse and short reflection each day.Continue