Requested by Phoebe: Joy to the World, performed by Celtic Woman with a great big orchestra to back them up. Words by Isaac Watts; music by–well, no one’s entirely sure. It might be a very old melody that had been kicking around for a few centuries. But now it’s permanently wedded to Watts’ lyrics.
And we’re off and running with our Christmas carol contest!
I was wishing for some more Christmas music, and lo, our friends Joshua and Jeremy made some for us. Yes, they’re the same Joshua and Jeremy who comment on this blog fairly often.
Silent Night and Joy to the World–thanks, guys. Very nice!
(Note: The comments were not supposed to be off! I have just re-enabled them. WordPress has made it very easy to miss a step.)
My Pogo pal “Teddy” asked for Joy to the World, and I thought I’d try this rendition of it by Casting Crowns. It’s a little wild–but hey, our Savior is born! We ought to be dancing in the streets and turning cartwheels.
Jeremy requested Joy to the World by A Capella, but I couldn’t find it. But I did stumble upon this guy “Acapeldridge,” who uses modern technology to–well, he sings in perfect harmony with himself. And it sounds great!
Lyrics by Isaac Watts, 1719–and still growing strong, 299 years later.
Requested by Phoebe, Joy to the World, sung by the Libera boys’ choir. Words by Isaac Watts: published in 1719.
You might want to turn up the volume on this one.
Thank you, Phoebe, for being the first to request a Christmas song: Joy to the World. I don’t know who this is, performing it, but it’s beautiful, just beautiful.
Please, everybody, join in prayer for a moment.
O Lord Our God, please bless this year’s Christmas season with power to draw this troubled world to Jesus Christ her rightful king and only Savior. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Update: The hospital just called with news that Aunt Joan’s fever has gone away and her condition is now stable. Thank you all for your prayers on her behalf. She can’t talk anymore, but I’ll be sure to tell her that she’s got a lot of good people praying for her.
Isaac Watts composed the words for this in 1719, and Georg F. Handel the music in 1836–so Joy to the World has been proclaiming the joy of Christmas for a good long time, and will continue for a good long time to come.
Requested by Laura–and I wish I could’ve discovered the name of the choir performing this, so I could give them credit.
Joy to the World–would you believed Isaac Watts published it way back in 1719? It may be old, but it seems to be the most published Christmas hymn in North America today. The melody is usually attributed to G.F. Handel, but that’s not quite certain.
I have chosen this unpretentious performance by I don’t know who… because it sounds joyful!
By reader request, here’s Joy to the World, with printed lyrics.
Did you know those lyrics were by Isaac Watts, early in the 19th century? I didn’t know that.
I remember we always used to sing this in Spanish class, to Spanish lyrics, back when public schools allowed the celebration of Christmas: Paz en el mundo, pax y amor…
The times are evil, O Lord: but Christ is come into the world, to cast out the prince of this world.
Move us to sing louder!