LDS Hymn #201

Hymn #201 - Joy to the World

Yeah, I skipped a few. It is the Christmas season--I should be writing about the Christmas hymns!! Isn't it wonderful that the first Christmas hymn in our Christmas section is "Joy to the World!" When we get to sing glorious praises about the birth of our Redeemer--not just us but everything in the world! Because its Creator has come. The greatest gift to all mankind. Singingly shouting in joy is the perfect response!!!

My favorite lines of this hymn:
-Let ev'ry heart prepare him room
-And Saints and angels sing
-He'll come and make the blessings flow

A note--the LDS hymnal changed two words that I know of. Others sing "Heav'n and nature sing" in the first verse, but William W. Phelps changed it to "Saints and angels."

From the history book
Other changes made for the LDS hymnal (the first one), was "the Lord will come" instead of "is" among others apparently so it would be more of a millennial hymn. But for 1985, the hymn was changed back to "is" to go more with the Christmas message. The composer said he arranged this hymn from Handel. The book points out a couple of parts. I suppose I don't know Handel that well to be able to distinguish those.

Lyrics

1. 1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come;
   Let earth receive her King!
   Let ev'ry heart prepare him room,
   And Saints and angels sing,
   And Saints and angels sing,
   And Saints, and Saints and angels sing.
2. 2. Rejoice! Rejoice when Jesus reigns,
   And Saints their songs employ,
   While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
   Repeat the sounding joy,
   Repeat the sounding joy,
   Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3. 3. No more will sin and sorrow grow,
   Nor thorns infest the ground;
   He'll come and make the blessings flow
   Far as the curse was found,
   Far as the curse was found,
   Far as, far as the curse was found.
4. 4. Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High,
   While Israel spreads abroad
   Like stars that glitter in the sky,
   And ever worship God,
   And ever worship God,
   And ever, and ever worship God.
5. Text: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748; alt. by William W. Phelps, 1792-1872. Included in the first LDS Hymnbook, 1835.
   Music: George F. Handel, 1685-1759; arr. by Lowell Mason, 1792-1872