Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/1433252
5 DECEMBER JOY IN CHRIST Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive its king; Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room, And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n and nature sing, And heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing. Psalm 98:4-9 "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!" What a familiar verse! Jesus' coming to ear th is truly a joyful event. "Joy" is defined in the Oxford dictionar y as "a feeling of great pleasure and happiness." The biblical meaning of joy is beyond this. Isaac Watts (1674-1748), a British lyricist, wrote this song based on Psalm 98: "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity" (Psalm 98:4-9). This invitation to joy is the response of the soul to God's salvation and protection of the Israelites. This joy comes from the deepest hear t to know, trust, and experience Jesus Christ in His wisdom, love, and justice. Above all, His presence with us as sovereign King brings great joy to humanity and all the creatures. He comes to rule the universe with love and justice, freeing us from any bondage to sin, guilt, shame, condemnation, death, and hell. We are joyful because He came to ear th to save us, and we are joyful because He will come again to consummate our salvation. This joy is the perpetual inner peace and satisfaction that is not affected by our circumstances. It is anchored in our knowledge and choice, based on Christ's willingness and ability to save us. This doesn't mean Christians will never experience any pain. Rather, as the Apostle Paul exemplified, we can find joy in the midst of pain and suffering (1 Thessalonians 5:16; Philippians 4:11). This kind of joy motivates Christians to be bold and humble in following God's ways. It distinguishes Christians from the world. The watching world may become curious about the joy within us and glorify God because of it. Focus your eyes on Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfector of our joy! In-Kyung Chung, Director of Korean Studies Joy to the World Lyrics by Issac Watts (1719), composed by George Frederic Handel and Lowell Mason (1836)