Joy to the World

[theophilus]

There are many lists of the most popular Christmas carols. The lists differ from each other but Joy to the World

Oh 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 known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!

With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!

Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
before the LORD, for he comes
to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21 ESV

Joy to the World you will find that it describes what will happen then, not what happened when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Joy to the world! The Lord has come:
let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room
and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns:
let men their songs employ
while fields and floods rocks hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy.

Today Jesus reigns only over those who have turned to him for salvation. The rest of the world rejects him.

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.

He rules the earth with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love.

[One Bad Pig]

You missed the first three verses of the song Isaac wrote. It's from an entire book of songs based on the Psalms. This is the only one still sung today (and only half of it at that - and as you note divorced from its intended context).

As originally printed:

Joy to the World.jpg

[mossrose]

I sing it at Christmas and I sing it at other times, too. Because I have realized for many decades that it speaks of Christ's second coming.

I also sing O Come, O Come Immanuel all year. And also O Sing A Song Of Bethlehem, which covers Christ's life, including His return, all year.

More people than you realize may recognize the second coming aspect to Joy to the World.

[Cow Poke]

I didn't see anything about the fish in the deep blue sea.

[One Bad Pig]

More people than you realize may recognize the second coming aspect to Joy to the World.

I'd wager that the vast majority of the people who sing it don't, however.

[mossrose]

I'd wager that the vast majority of the people who sing it don't, however.

Yup.

[Catholicity]

Handel was well known for writing music from Scripture. That would include the Messiah and Joy to the World.

[One Bad Pig]

Handel was well known for writing music from Scripture. That would include the Messiah and Joy to the World.

Handel didn't write Joy to the World.

[Catholicity]

Handel didn't write Joy to the World.

oops you're right, the refrain was taken from part of the Messiah which apparently lead to the confusion, which lead to the original rumor that the tune was composed by him

[Faber]

I didn't see anything about the fish in the deep blue sea.

bullfrog.jpg

[Faber]

bullfrog2.jpg