Joy to the World

Joelton Care Group

Joy to the World Lesson

Since 1719, “Joy to the World” has been a Christmas staple. Its lyrics were crafted by Isaac Watts, and to date, it remains one of the most-published hymns in Northern America. However, the fun fact is, the song wasn’t even intended to be a Christmas carol, as its original version had no such link with Christmas. It wasn’t even supposed to be a song!

In 1719, Watts published a book of poems in which each poem was based on a psalm. In his poems he wanted to show how the psalms related to how Jesus was revealed as the Savior of the world in the New Testament.

“Joy to the World” was one of those poems based on Psalm 98 as Watts interpreted this psalm to be a celebration of Jesus’s role as King of both his church and the whole world. He intended the words of his poem to show the return of Christ rather than His birth. Watts never knew that the poem he wrote became one of his most famous hymns when more than a century later a Boston music teacher named Lowell Mason discovered his poem and set it to music. Because it was released at Christmastime, it quickly became a holiday favorite and went on to become the most published Christmas carol in America.

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

  1. Read Luke 2:10-14. What happened that should bring joy to all people? 
  2. Read Psalm 98:4-9 and compare the words of the Psalm with the words of the song Joy to The World. How are they similar and how are they different?
  3. What would you say is the biggest difference in how our culture would describe the nature and source of joy versus Christian joy?
  4. The Joy brought about by Jesus’ birth should cause all of heaven and nature to sing. What do you need to do to make room for Jesus in your heart so you can sing of that wonderful joy and show that joy to the world around you?
  5. Gather with family and discuss what makes Christmastime so joyous. How can the joy of Jesus’ birth at Christmas accompany you all year long?

Spend some time together eating candy canes as a family. Remind the family how the candy cane makes a “J” shape that stands for Jesus and the joy his birth and his eventual return brings to our life!