![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/DSC03924.jpg\" "\\"DSC03924\\"")
<\/a>As I prepare to write about this great song of Christmas, I can see the results of the snowfall we had in Colorado yesterday. I am grateful that this storm didn\u2019t turn out as they thought (8-14 inches predicted!). Instead, our grass is blanketed with moisture and tomorrow we are expecting a high of 60.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
But this morning, there is snow! And Christmas and snow go hand in hand. So today, we\u2019ll chat about Christmas!<\/p>\n
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\u201cJoy to the World\u201d has always been one of my favorite Christmas carols. It\u2019s fun to sing. Enjoyable to play on the piano or organ. It\u2019s upbeat. And it tells the story of Christ coming as a baby. It has been argued that it is actually speaking of the second coming, but traditionally it is a Christmas song.<\/p>\n
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When my granddaughter Joy was born, this became her signature tune. I found a little snow globe that plays \u201cJoy to the World\u201d and she played it continuously. That little globe was put away with the Christmas decorations that year.<\/p>\n
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We\u2019ve sung this melody for Joy from the beginning and she thinks of it as hers. But in reality, the message is for the world. Christ, our Savior, has come to earth to save each of us from ourselves.<\/p>\n
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Jesus came as the great and mighty King and destroyed the curse of sin. He rules mightily and reigns over all creation. His love is wonderful and His blessings flow freely. It\u2019s no wonder we rejoice!<\/p>\n
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So take a look and listen to this great hymn of Christmas. \u201cJoy to the World.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
\nLet earth receive her King;
\nLet every heart prepare Him room,
\nAnd Heaven and nature sing,
\nAnd Heaven and nature sing,
\nAnd Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.<\/p>\n
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Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
\nLet men their songs employ;
\nWhile fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
\nRepeat the sounding joy,
\nRepeat the sounding joy,
\nRepeat, repeat, the sounding joy.<\/p>\n
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No more let sins and sorrows grow,
\nNor thorns infest the ground;
\nHe comes to make His blessings flow
\nFar as the curse is found,
\nFar as the curse is found,
\nFar as, far as, the curse is found.<\/p>\n
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He rules the world with truth and grace, <\/p>\n I offer you two versions of this song today. The first one is a newer version that Chris Tomlin has shared with us. You\u2019ll be able to hear it by clicking on this link. http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NLhb3qUA3uc<\/a>. For those who would love to hear a traditional version, click on this link. http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Y5iRUABBiko<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joy, unspeakable joy!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now you may not know this, but Isaac Watts (1674-1748) wanted to take the Book of Psalms and write hymns for the Christian living during his lifetime. \u201cJoy to the World\u201d was one of these songs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mr. Watts used Psalm 98 as the basis for \u201cJoy to the World,\u201d and as you read through it, see what phrases you recall from the hymn.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cShout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram\u2019s horn\u2014shout for joy before the Lord, the King.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLet the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLet the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe will judge the world in righteousness and the people with equity.\u201d<\/em> (Psalm 98 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joy, unspeakable joy! Yes, we have plenty to be joyful about.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As you attend church service this morning, I pray that you\u2019ll keep this Christmas carol in the back of your mind. Praise God for what He has done for mankind. Thank Him for the gift of salvation He sent along with Jesus. Allow your heart to be filled with His joy and sing so that others will see His joy within you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Peter expressed this joy well. \u201cThough you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.\u201d<\/em> (1 Peter 1:8-9 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoy to the world, the Lord has come!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna<\/p>\n [i]<\/a> Joy to the World, Words: Isaac Watts<\/a>, The Psalms of Da\u00advid, 1719. Music: Low\u00adell Ma\u00adson<\/a>, 1836. Al\u00adter\u00adnate tune: Thom\u00adas Ha\u00adweis<\/a>, 1792.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As a reminder, I am sharing some wonderful psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19-20) that have had an impact on my life through the years. I\u2019ve covered decades, even centuries with some of the music I\u2019ve chosen. Today, let\u2019s see how the Christmas carol, \u201cJoy to the World,\u201d has touched my life. As […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"yes","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[318,317,315,316],"class_list":["post-1110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-praising-god","tag-a-christian-life-of-joy","tag-isaac-watts","tag-joy-to-the-world","tag-psalm-98"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1110"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1113,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1110\/revisions\/1113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAnd makes the nations prove
\nThe glories of His righteousness,
\nAnd wonders of His love,
\nAnd wonders of His love,
\nAnd wonders, wonders, of His love.[i]<\/a><\/p>\n
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