Joy to the World

The hymn "Joy to the World" is often thought of as a Christmas carol though its author, Isaac Watts, did not intend it only to be sung at Christmas. Watts, known as "the father of English hymnody" wrote some 750 hymns. In addition to "Joy to the World" he wrote "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past".

You would think that such a prolific writer would have had an ideal life as inspiration to write such hymns, but that was not the case. When Isaac was born, his father was in prison for dissenting from the Church of England. Isaac never married, had children, or even owned a home. He had illnesses and chronic health issues from childhood until his death as result of a stroke.

With a life full of illness and no spouse or children to assist or comfort, one must ask how he still had enough joy to write one of the most famous hymns on the subject. Simply put, Isaac Watts had a relationship with Jesus.

We often interchange the words happiness, contentment, and joy but they are not the same. Happiness is the feeling of cheerfulness, pleasure, or satisfaction. A person's happiness depends on their circumstances and, therefore, is inconsistent. This inconsistency is often called life's ups and downs, peaks and valleys, or the ebb and flow of life.

Happiness depends on what's happening in your life at any given moment. Ecclesiastes 5:10 describes the rich man as never having enough money to stay satisfied. In Ecclesiastes 6:7 we see that an appetite for food is never satisfied as we eat multiple times a day and, often, whether we're really hungry or not. We crave more and more of whatever brings us happiness but are never truly satisfied.

Contentment is much like happiness in that your contentment usually depends on your circumstances, but there is one difference. Contentment can be learned. At one time in the life of the apostle Paul (then Saul) he was an educated, cultured, Pharisee who was most likely rather wealthy. He was persecuted and suffered greatly in his mission trips to advance the Gospel of Jesus as he was shipwrecked three times, beaten with rods three times, stoned and left for dead, and imprisoned multiple times. He was eventually martyred for preaching about Jesus. Paul explains that we can learn to be content "whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want." (Phil. 4:12) How did Paul learn to be content in any circumstance? He goes on in Philippians 4:13 to say, "I can do all things through Him Who gives me strength." Paul, like Isaac Watts knew that contentment and joy depends on Jesus.

Joy is rejoicing and gladness, celebrating God's grace and His presence in every situation no matter the circumstance. True joy can only be found in the restorative nature of a good God and His obedient Son. We have joy because Jesus said, "The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and His angels." (Rev. 3:5)

The only way to have lasting joy is to be in a relationship with Jesus. Psalm 98:4 reads, "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises." The author of Psalm 98 writes, "The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations." The psalmist, Paul, and Isaac Watts all had joy because they had a relationship with the Creator of the universe, the Lord of Heaven and earth.

Psalm 98 was Isaac Watt's inspiration for "Joy to the World" for he knew, "The Lord is come!" As we celebrate Christmas this year let's have joy in our relationship with Jesus and thank Him for obediently being born on earth to be our sinless Lamb of God. "Let earth receive Her King; let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing!"

Written by Heather Moore