JOY TO THE WORLD
PSALM 98

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) is the "Father of English Hymnody." His hymn Joy to the World is a paraphrase of Psalm 98. It was included in his Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, and Applied to the Christian State and Worship published in 1719. It undoubtedly would have grieved him to know that the singing of this glorious hymn is by so many restricted to the Christmas season.

Joy to the World is sung to "Antioch" by George Frederick Handel (1685-1759). He was a devout Lutheran who resisted many efforts from Rome and London to change his faith.

The text of the hymn here appears with explanatory footnotes.

1. "Joy to world!" Worshippers of the true and living God are joyful people (v.1), at all times and for all things (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; cp. Psalm 100). They are not given to "gloom and doom" and "sour and dour."

2. "the Lord is come!" Here is a chief reason for our joy: Jehovah has come to visit mankind. His coming was prophesied in Isaiah 40:1-3 (cp. Malachi 3:1), and fulfilled in the incarnation of the Son of God -- Jehovah Jesus Christ (John 1:19-34).

3. "Let earth receive her King." Christ has come as King! In His incarnation, He was announced as King (Luke 1:26-33; fulfilling 2 Samuel 7:12f), sought and worshipped as King (Matthew 2:1f,11), manifested as King (Matthew 12:28f; cp. Revelation 20:1-3), presented as King (Matthew 21:1-5; fulfilling Zechariah 9:9), and empowered as King (Matthew 28:18). And in His exaltation He was enthroned as King on the throne of His father David (Acts 2:29-36). It is therefore necessary for Him to be received as King, or to suffer the consequences of rebellion.

4. "Let every heart prepare Him room." Mortals acknowledge Jesus Christ as King by receiving Him into their hearts, having swept therefrom all idols, and ever after trusting in Him and confessing Him alone as their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

5. "And heaven and nature sing." Heaven and nature acknowledge Christ as King by singing His praises. Heavenly angels did so on the night of His birth (Luke 2:8-14). Earthly stones would do so if mortals would not (Luke 19:37-40).

6. "Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns!" i. "The Savior reigns!" Jesus Christ is uniquely the mediatorial (between God and men [1 Timothy 2:5]) Priest and King: both "Lord and Savior" (Luke 2:11), "Prince and Savior" (Acts 5:31), "a priest on His throne" (Zechariah 6:13; Hebrews 8:1). Contray to a popular belief, Satan, the devil, is not the ruler of this world. Jesus Christ has both "bound the devil and "cast him into the bottomless pit" (Revelation 20:1-3; also Matthew 12:22-29, John 12:31, Luke 10:18). ii. "The Savior reigns!" -- "He rules the world!" A college classmate returned from Christmas break and said his pastor had forbidden the singing of this hymn. It was his conviction that Jesus Christ had to postpone establishing His kingdom until some future millennial age because of His rejection by the Jews. Holy Scriptures outright reject that idea. Christ reigns presently and forevermore! He is not exiled to heaven until such time as men will permit Him to rule and reign. Therefore, Revelation 20:1-3 records a historical fact (cp. Matthew 12:28f), and Revelation 20:4-6 describes a present reality (cp. Colossians 1:13).

7. "Let men their songs employ." The subjects of the King will sing praises to their King (vv.4-6; cp. Psalm 97:1; 99:1-3; 100). What better theme can we sing!

8. "While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, Repeat the sounding joy." The elements of nature will echo the praises of the King (vv.7f).

9. "No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground." The coming of Christ the King has put an end to the cursed effects of the Adamic fall (Genesis 3:17-19).

10. "He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found." The coming of Christ the King has brought the blessings of His salvation to all the ends of the earth (vv.1-3). Wherever the curse of Adam is found, the blessings of Christ may be received.

11. "He rules the world with truth and grace." He who is the "only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15) can rule as He pleases. He is pleased to rule in the truth of righteousness and the grace of salvation (vv.2,9).

12. "And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love." Reference here is to the manner in which Jesus Christ has used the nations to evangelize the world. The Jewish nation was foremost in rejecting Him. Christ humbled their foremost antagonist, Saul of Tarsus, and made him the greatest of all missionaries. The Gentile nations were foremost in being ignorant of Him. Christ enlightened them and caused them to enlighten others. They all have declared "The glories of His righteousness": righteousness glorious enough to be called "the righteousness of God," and righteousness glorious enough to be received through faith alone by all who trust in Him, and righteousness glorious enough to justify before God all who receive it (Romans 3:21-26). And they have declared "The ... wonders of His love": love wondrous enough to never permit those who trust in Him to be separated from Him (Romans 8:35-39). Jesus Christ came to earth to manifest this righteousness and love, and to bestow it to all who receive Him. Therefore, the missionaries of all the nations have gone forth proclaiming,