(Blowin’ in the Wind is a regular feature on my blog highlighting an
assortment of nature writings – hymns, songs, prayers, Bible readings, poems or
other things –pieces I have not written but that inspire me. I trust they will
do the same for you.)
It is another of the
truly great Christian songs of all time – "Joy
to the World" – with music and lyrics written by two of the greatest musicians
of all time, Georg Fredrik Handel (of Messiah
fame) and Isaac Watts. JttW is perhaps the most well known Christmas carol in
the English language, and verifiably the most published. My favorite rendition
of it happens to be by The Philadelphia Brass in a recording given to me years ago
by my friend Lowell; but since I cannot find that on YouTube, press here to listen to the classic version
by the Percy Faith Orchestra. You have my permission to ignore the cheesy
picture.
It is only in recent
years, however, that I have appreciated the nature verses.
The nature verses? Yes.
Perhaps something was lost to me in the song’s familiarity, or in the simple
joy of singing something so magnificent at such a wonderful time of the year. But
the more I ponder the nature verses the more astounding the song seems to me,
absolutely brilliant lyrics. Enjoy the whole prayer of praise, but note
especially the lyrics highlighted:
Joy to the world, the
Lord is come!
Let earth receive her
king.
Let every heart prepare
him room
And heaven and nature sing!
Joy to the earth, the Savior
reigns!
Let all their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks,
hills and plains
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!
He rules the world with
truth and grace,
And makes the nations
prove
The glories of his
righteousness
And wonders of his love!
It is really good
theology, actually. The last line of the first verse reminds us that all of
heaven and all of nature join in the celebration. In other words, we sing, and,
somehow, all creation sings with us: Jesus said that if the people failed to
praise him, the very rocks would not be able to hold back (Luke 19:40); Isaiah said that the trees of the field would clap
their hands as God led us forth with such joy (Isaiah 55:12); and Paul said that all of creation even waits as on
tiptoe to see the marvelous coming of the King of Kings (Romans 8:19)! And what’s that in verse three about a curse? You
have to go all the way back to Genesis 3
for that one: the curse is the woe that came to the world with Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, and the salvation of the promised Messiah is the curse’s breaking as
‘far as the curse is found.’ Add to all this the fact that Watts was said to have
had Psalm 98 in mind when he wrote
it, and it is no wonder that the lyrics have lost nothing of their richness
over the three centuries since their writing.
I don’t know about you but I will sing this song lustily this season, thrilled with these thoughts. As you sing it, too, imagine all of creation joined in praise along with you!
Blessed Advent!
~~RGM, December 6, 2013
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