Today, we celebrate Christmas, the Advent of our Lord and Savior. It is also the First Day of Christmas, but that is a discussion for another day. Churches throughout the world sang “Joy to the World, the Lord is come”. Written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 (see below) the words were chosen to reflect the theme to make a joyful noise to the Lord. I was struck when this year I saw in the very first line a word I had not focused on before. Is. Isaac Watts picked the word Is when referring to our Lord’s coming. He made a grand statement in reference to our joy.
We have been in the season of Advent up until today, the first day of Christmas. We recognize during Advent that the Messiah came and we prepare for His coming again. Watts puts a little more thought to this by using the word “is”, not has and not even saying he is going to return. As a follower we should understand that He came at the first advent, will come again at the second advent — but has never left us in between. The Lord is Come let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Merry Christmas to all.
Psalms 98
Make a Joyful Noise to the LORD
A PSALM.
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.
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.
Joy to the World, the Savior 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.
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.
Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
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