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December 25 - Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas! "Joy to the World!" was an obvious choice for Christmas day. Isaac Watts, known as the "father of English hymnody" is perhaps the greatest English-language hymn writer, and "Joy to the World!" ranks with "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" as one of his best hymns. The tune, which helps to make Watts' text even better, was arranged by Lowell Mason. The tune is often attributed to George Frederick, as many say that Mason pieced together themes from Handel's Messiah. As this is disputed, I have use the same citation as the Presbyterian Hymnal. I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas day, and that you've enjoyed listening to Hark! The Herald Banjo Rings. I will post the last tune tomorrow, so be sure to check back one last time. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

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Joy to the World!

Words: Isaac Watts, 1719; alt.
Music: ANTIOCH, attr. George Frederick Handel, 1742; arr. Lowell Mason, 1836.

Joy to the world! the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

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,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.

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

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