First Songs of Rejoicing by ems 12/06/21
10th Day of Advent
Week 2: Preparation (or waiting or prophecy) ~ Light 2 purple candles
Advent Hymn 🎼 Joy To The World! The Lord Is Come🎶
Published in 1719 with the words of Isaac Watts and sung to an 1848 arrangement by Lowell Mason. It is based on Psalms 98 and 96:11-12 and Genesis 3:17-18.
Verse 1
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.
Verse 3
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.
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1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! ~ Psalm 98:1-6
Can you remember the first song you sang? Or can you remember the feelings you experienced when you first heard an orchestra play a magnificent rendition of Handle’s Messiah? Music is something that not only stimulates our minds and hearts but ignites the soul with hope and joy. The shepherds heard a wonderous chorus from a host of angels rejoicing at the birth of God’s gift. I wonder what it must have sounded like…
First Songs of Rejoicing
We look with expectancy when we meet someone new. But does our first impression cause us to sing? Christmas carols have been created throughout history to tell the story of Christ’s birth, but the first songs about Jesus were published in the Book of Luke.
In Luke chapter 1, we hear Mary’s relative Elizabeth express joy as they greet one another; even her child in the womb, John, leaped for joy in the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb.
Mary’s response is a song of worship as she praises God and recognizes what it means to be the mother of the long-expected Messiah.
 Two other songs were sung at Jesus’ presentation in the temple forty days after his birth for the purification and naming ceremony: one by righteous and devout Simeon, who was looking for Israel’s consolation, and one by a woman of prayer and fasting, the prophetess Anna.
Their unique songs express significant thankfulness and overflowing joy upon meeting God’s sent One. They indicated to others looking for Jerusalem’s redemption to come and see this child in the temple.
What songs ring out from you when you consider that Jesus came for you? Just think, Jesus came to release us from the curse of sin and to make His blessings flow. That should cause each of us to create new songs of thanksgiving and joy!
Prayer:
Lord God of the Universe, my heart is whole when I remember the first songs sung about Jesus. May my voice be lifted high with new songs to join with the many scribed songs of praise to the King of kings and the Lord of lords throughout the ages!
Rejoice with this video of Joy To The World!
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