新心音乐 · Album: 圣诞新心. Explore “Joy to the World”: song information and official sources.
Redeeming grace · The incarnation
Many people think of this as a Christmas hymn, but Watts was paraphrasing Psalm 98, with its theme of the Lord returning to judge the earth. Its gaze therefore does not stop at the manger. The third stanza describes an end to sin and sorrow and extends the undoing of the curse across the earth, reversing Genesis 3. Watts adapted the Psalms into Christian hymns, a practice controversial in his day because congregations were accustomed to singing only the Psalms' actual text. That is also this hymn's value: it places Old Testament rejoicing within the New Testament setting, linking Christmas with Christ's return. When using it on Christmas Sunday, remind the congregation that its vision reaches beyond Bethlehem.
Christmas and Advent; teaching on Christ's reign and creation's redemption; year-end thanksgiving gatherings.