Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

There’s a story behind most words written. Sometimes the words are written out of pain. Other times out of joy. Sometimes, just humdrum sort of days.

I’m a lover of songs of all types and I especially enjoy singing Christmas carols this time of year. One of my favorites is Joy to the World.

There are usually two writers to a song. The writer of the music and the writer of the words.

The writer of the words to this magnificent Christmas carol is Isaac Watts. He complained to his father, a deacon in the congregational church, that the singing in their church was dismal, boring. After a heated discussion, the elder Watts challenged Isaac to write some better ones. And that’s what the young Watts did. He wrote some 750 hymns. Many are still sung today. But there’s a backstory to Watts. He endured much sadness. He was jilted, and his health was broken shortly after that. He lived the rest of his life as an invalid. But what powerful hymns he wrote. And one of my favorites, Joy to the World.

The music is adapted from  Messiah by George F. Handel. This composer also has a backstory. He had been famous and wealthy earlier in his life, but when Handel wrote Messiah, he was bankrupt, unmarried, and partially paralyzed. Once Messiah was performed, interest in Handel was rekindled. and he continued to perform his oratorios until his death.

In life, we all experience lows and highs. I don’t know where you are in life right now. You might be in a low time–or a high period of time in your life. Certainly Isaac Watts and George F. Handel had their highs and lows. I hope you examine the words to this beautiful Christmas carol this season, even if you don’t feel like singing them. I like the second stanza of this song:

Joy to the earth! 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

I’m glad they wrote one that is still sung often today. The words are adapted from Psalm 98:

Shout to the LORD, all the earth;

break out in praise and sing for joy!…

I don’t know where you are today. Perhaps in deep sorrow. Estranged from the ones you love. Bankrupt. Ill. I hope you take the time to if not sing the words, read them. It’s worth the effort.

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