Joy to the World, the Song and the Story
The words to this song was penned down by Isaac Watts, the father of English hymnology. The hymn was based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. Watts wrote this song as a hymn speaking of Christ's triumphant return at the end of the age. Instead, this song is used to celebrate Christ's first coming as a babe born in a stable.
The music was adapted and arranged to Watt's lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from an older melody which was then believed to have originated from Handel, who was known for the masterpiece production, "The Messiah." As of the late 20th century, this hymn is the most published Christmas hymn in North America, according to Wikipedia.
No comments:
Post a Comment