The 3rd Song of Christmas

Joy To The World
Words adapted from Psalms 98 by Isaac Watts;
Music by G.F. Handel, arr. By Lowell Mason

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 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.

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,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, 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,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love

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Ever seen anyone who is just bustin’ at the seams? Ever been a time when you just can’t contain your joy? The promotion finally came through! You really hit a hole in one! You are now a homeowner for the first time! The baby has arrived!! That will surely put a smile on your face. It’s time to celebrate…break out the cigars (bubble gum, of course), send out the invitations, hang the banners, run up the phone bill, perhaps even buy that new 60” wide screen plasma tv you’ve had your eye on (well, at least a new remote). You can’t wait for someone to ask you what all the fuss is about – and they better have a lot of time to listen to you extol the virtues of your accomplishments and how your life will surely change.

If we pop our buttons over such news, imagine what it would be like if God Himself came down for a visit!! Why, we could never cease to sing His praises. In fact, all of heaven and earth would burst out into a melodious refrain that would shake the very foundation of the earth.

That is why we celebrate Christmas. The fact that the very God that created us came to pay us a visit; to become one of us, to shoulder our burdens and troubles, to conquer the sin that quashed our joy, to utterly envelop us in His love.

Now THAT is reason to sing a joyful song!!

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-12