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Joy to the World

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"Joy to the World" is the best-known Christmas song contributed by the prolific 18th-century hymn-writer Isaac Watts, and is one of the most popular Christmas songs ever.  Its appeal may be moreso the engaging tune published to the text by American Lowell Mason in 1848, possibly loosely based on Handel's "Lift up ye gates" in the Messiah although generally attributed just to Mason today.  Its four verses begin with triumphant praise to the coming of Jesus--although it is never mentioned to be the baby Jesus--and then to encourage praise from all "men."  The third verse considers the sin averted and the curse lifted by the Saviour's arrival, and ends with the Jesus' rule of "truth and grace" with the slant rhyme (prove-love) again appealing to "the nations" to rejoice in his glories and wonders.  It, too, like "O Come, All Ye Faithful," is a beautiful processional carol for the season.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing (2x).

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy (2x). 

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 (2x). 

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love (2x). 

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  1. Part 4: Christmas Carols Alisa Clapp-Itnyre

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  1. Joy to the world 2nd score