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 and wonders of His, His love


“Joy to the World” was written by Isaac Watts who was born in 1674 in Southampton, England.  He wrote over 750 hymns including, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, This is the Day the Lord Has Made, and Sin Has a Thousand Treacherous Arts.”  

Watts was actually bleeding edge in his time.  As a teenager he would always complain about the music and the lack of participation from the people.  So, his father challenged him to do something. The following week he wrote, “Behold the Glories of the Lamb” and the people began to engage in the worship as he involved an emotional and theological influence in the worship.  Isn’t that fascinating?

Today, “Joy to the World” is the most published Christmas song to date, but until we see the theological truths layered in the song I think we are missing out.  Let’s look at Romans 8 to see where this song comes from.  

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

In the context of the passage, verse tells us there is new life in Jesus, there is victory in Jesus, there is freedom from sin, life-changing transformation that is glorious, but in verse 18 it also says, “There is suffering.”

It means there are people all over the world who are enjoying friends and family, having fun, enjoying rest and seeing God do great things in their life, but there are also some people all over the world who are suffering.  

How can we sing a song called “Joy to the World” when we are surrounded by suffering?  Verse 18 speaks of “glory that is to be revealed.”

This is why the song says, “Joy to the world, let earth receive her king, let heaven and nature sing, let men their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains, repeat the sounding joy.”

This song isn’t just about fuzzy, warm moments around the holidays.  The song is about a baby that has come as king, lives a perfect life, takes all sin upon Himself, so that in Him, through faith, we are set free into the freedom of glory that will permeate every part of creation.  

But how does the hope of His glory lead to joy?  Imagine you are going to put two people in two rooms and give them identical tasks that are menial, boring, and difficult manual labor.  You tell them both, “You are going to work 40-hours a week, for 12-months, and no vacations.  It is going to be boring.  It is going to be tedious, and it is going to be really hard.  

To the first person you say, “At the end of the 12-months you will get an annual salary of $12,000.”  To the second person you say, “At the end of the 12-months you will get an annual salary of $12 Million.”

The first person is going to go at it for about 3-4 weeks and say, “I quit. This is too hard.  This is driving me crazy.”  But, the other person is going to say, “Done!  Not a problem, 12-months, are you kidding and whistling the whole day, every day, at work.”  Why?  The tedious trial is being overshadowed by the glory that is to be revealed.  

God’s Word teaches us, “We might get to live on this planet for 80+ years, and while we are here we will encounter suffering.  There are going to be hard days, but in verse 18 we see, “These hard days are nothing compared to the glory that is to be revealed.” 

Where is your joy?  Is it in romantic relationships that come and go?  Is your joy in the economy that is up and down?  Is your joy in how others perceive you?  What torture!

God’s Word invites us to put our joy in Jesus.  Jesus is the One who is full of power.  Jesus is the One who has come to call you His.  Jesus is the One who will return again to make all things new.  

This is why Isaac Watts writes down the words, “Joy to the World.”  It isn’t just what happens at the incarnation, it isn’t just the resurrection, it isn’t just the sanctification, but soon there is coming our glorification for the whole universe.