Friday, December 22, 2023

Make A Joyful Noise



"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
 break forth and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!"
(Psalm 98:4)


Away In A Manger
Bill Bell
Image courtesy/Pinterest


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 nature sing!

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ,

While fields and flocks, 

rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy!

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 the curse is found!

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 of His love!


Image courtesy/Mary Evans Picture Library
Fine Art America

"Joy To The World"
(1719)
Isaac Watts
(1674-1748)
English congregational minister,
hymn writer, theologian, and logician.
Known as the "Father of English hymnody"


The Story Behind The Song


In the late 1600's most worship music sung in the churches in Europe
were Old Testament Psalms.  A young man with an extraordinary talent
for writing hymns by the name of Isaac Watts thought that the songs sung
 sounded stilted and unnatural, not to mention "atrocious" for worship services.   

"To see the dull indifference, the negligent and thoughtless air that
sits upon the faces of the whole assembly, while the psalm is upon
their lips, might even tempt a charitable observer to suspect the
fervency of their inward religion," he observed.

When a church deacon, who also happened to be his father,
challenged him, saying, "Give us something better young man."
Isaac, who loved to read and to study the Bible, went home
and penned his very first hymn.

In his later life, Isaac Watts took inspiration from the words of the
98th psalm, a declaration of praise and singing to the Lord, Who,
"has made known His salvation; His righteousness has He openly
shown in the sight of the nations."
 (Psalm 98:2, Luke 2: 30, 31)

The end result was a song which reflects earth's rejoicing
  over the birth of the Messiah, Who came to rule with true
 justice, truth, and grace, and from Whom all blessings flow.

"Joy To The World" has since become one of the most
well-known and beloved Christmas carols of all time.




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