Isaac Watts was arguably the most prolific hymn writer of his day. If the father of medicine was Hippocrates and the father of the telephone was Alexander Graham Bell, then the father of English hymns was none other than Isaac Watts. Watts’ lyrical goal, as one author put it, was to wed “emotional subjectivity” and “doctrinal objectivity.” Songs such as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed” (255), “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, and “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”, were a blend of personal reflection and emotional reaction couched in rich theological convictions. Watts also published a work in 1719 that was a translation or rewriting of the Psalms for congregational singing. The hymnbook was entitled (it’s long, so prepare yourself), "The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to the Christian State and Worship."
In other words, Watts read the Old Testament in light of the New Testament and wrote his Psalm-book to explicitly point to the person and work of Christ. In that collection, you will find Watts’ rewriting of Psalm 98. It was originally titled “The Messiah’s Coming and Kingdom”, but we better know it as “Joy to the World.” Even though Watts may not have ever envisioned his song being sung at Christmas time, I think it is a wonderful tribute to his work. Indeed, the first advent of Jesus stands as a historical guarantee that His Second Advent is just around the corner. Indeed, the birth of Jesus and the return of Jesus are “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (1)
Read Psalm 98.
“Joy to the World” as one of the most joyous of all Christmas hymns, this carol omits references to shepherds, angelic choruses, and wise men. While “Joy to the World” is primarily sung at Christmas, it’s not about the incarnation. Rather, the song tells the story of Christ’s return—his second coming. We know this for at least three reasons.
First, the song speaks of the whole earth receiving her King: Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing. Note the words: the Lord IS come, not the Lord has come. The first time Christ came, the world did not receive Him, rather, the world rejected Him, and hung Him on a cross.
Isaiah 53:3 (NKJV) He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Second, we know this hymn is a song of Christ’s second coming because verse 3 talks about sins and sorrows being no more: 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. If you have lived on this earth for more than two minutes, you know that this is not our current experience. In Mark 13 Jesus foretold what was yet to come after his death when he said:
Mark 13:8 (NKJV) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
The world is not sin-free. The world is not void of sorrow. Not yet, at least. Jesus told us that we should not be alarmed when we hear of the world’s brokenness. Why? Because “this must take place, but the end is not yet” (Mark 13:7). Hebrews 10 tells us:
Hebrews 10:12–13 (NKJV) But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.
Although the fulfillment of all Christ’s work is not fully expressed this side of eternity, we know there will be a day when it is. Christ sits at the Father’s right hand, waiting until the perfect moment—a time when all good things will come to fruition. So we have hope.
Third, the final verse reveals that this hymn is about the second coming. It says: He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove, The glories of his righteousness, And wonders of his love. These final lines speak of how the nations will take an active role in revealing the glory of God. We know that all the nations of the earth are ultimately subject to God’s ever-sovereign hand. He is the one who gives authority, and he’s the one who takes it away. He uses every mistake, every poor decision, every war, every calamity, and every season of prosperity, all for his glory. As we will read, He is coming in judgment.
But we have not yet seen the nations of this world intentionally seeking to prove the wonders and glories of our ultimate King. In fact, they often seek to defame the name of God. But he will not share his glory with another. The Great “I AM” is jealous for his name. Surely, there will be a day when we can say: “He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove, The glories of his righteousness, And wonders of his love. And that day will be wonderful. (2)
Today as we come to the Lord’s Table, we remember what Christ has done for us, from His birth, to His atoning death on a Roman cross. We also remember His resurrection and His assent to be with the father at his right hand. Jesus said:
Matthew 26:29 (NKJV) But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
In light of the return of Jesus and from what we know are the doctrines of the New Testament, let us do like Isaac Watts and use the view point of New Testament in taking a taking a new look at Psalm 98. Psalm 98 is clearly divided into 3 parts: Part 1: God the Savior (vs 1-3); Part 2: God the King (vs 4-6); Part 3: God the Judge (vs 7-9). We will look at these verses, especially with Jesus’ return in mind.
Part 1: God the Savior (vs 1-3)
As Savior, God desires all men to be saved
Psalm 98:1–2 (NKJV) 1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. 2 The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
Israel sings of the Lord’s deliverance from their enemies. Many scholars believe this psalm was written in light of the return of the captives from Babylon. The right hand of God speaks of His power and authority. And the people of the earth, and all the nations have seen His power, for He has shown it to them.
Romans 1:19–20 (NKJV) because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
All of God’s works have displayed the deliverance of His people to all nations:
Isaiah 52:10 (NKJV) The LORD has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.
Deliverance, not just from enemies, but from the very power of sin. Sin is the true enemy of all, for it is sin that separates us from God. Because of sin, we are unable to reach out to God, so God reached out to us, in Jesus. Jesus came to us when we were unable to go to Him.
Psalm 98:3 (NKJV) 3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
God does not desire that any perish, but all come to repentance.
Titus 2:11 (NKJV) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Our God the Savior is Salvation through Jesus. Jesus said “I am the way, the Truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6)
Part 2: God the King (vs 4-6)
Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; These verses (4-6) are the heart of the first verse of "Joy to the World."
Psalm 98:4–6 (NKJV) 4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. 5 Sing to the LORD with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, 6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King.
These verses look at God, not as King of Israel, but King of the whole earth and King of the universe. We know this King to be Jesus.
Revelation 19:16 (NKJV) And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
Jesus did not come as King when He came as a Babe lying in a manager in Bethlehem. At that time He came as savior, to save the world, not to condemn the world.
John 3:17 (NKJV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
But when He returns, He will come and rule as King.
Revelation 19:15a (NKJV) Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.
Many will fear that day. But God’s people are those who love His appearing (2 Tim 4:8) will rejoice and sing and shout praises to God that day when Jesus returns.
Part 3: God the Judge (vs 7-9)
Now for the part the world will dread, but we as the people of God will rejoice.
Psalm 98:7–9 (NKJV) 7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it; 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD, 9 For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.
Let heaven and nature sing! All the earth and all of nature will rejoice at the coming judgment. The world does not understand this; they make two crave errors when they look at nature. For one, they deify nature. They make nature to be out as a god and worship nature. This is why some people think it is far worse thing to harm the environment to save the spotted owls than to abort babies. Two, the world sees in nature some kind of perfecting principle, almost like saying, “The world is not god yet, but it is on the way.” In cosmic terms this is the principle of evolution.
The Biblical perspective realizes three things: 1. This is God’s world. Through and by Jesus the world was created. 2. The world is not what it was created to be. Because of the fall of man and sin in the world, all the earth has suffered as well.
Romans 8:20–22 (NKJV) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
And lastly, 3. we know that one day it will all be renewed (Rev 22:1ff). All will be set right and we know that the Judge is Jesus.
John 5:22 (NKJV) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,
Remember, all will meet Jesus one day, either in love or in judgment. There is so much waiting on His righteous judgment. Scripture tells us that there are those asking when the time will come for judgment.
Revelation 6:9–10 (NKJV) When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
These will be singing “Joy to the World, The Lord Is Come.” The Question this morning is what is: What side of Judgment will you be on?
John 3:18 (NKJV) “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
As I have preached before. It is all about Jesus. Have you come to know Him? Have you come to love Him? Have you come to accept the very salvation that for which He died?
This morning as we come to the table, the Table of our Lord, we look forward to Jesus return as King and Judge. We also look back, back to the manger, for Jesus was born to die, die for your sins and mine, so that we can be with Him in eternity. That is how much he loved you and me.
Are we looking to Jesus?
(1) Tyler Scarlett | Dec 15, 2013. https://www.forestbaptistchurch.org/the-story-behind-the-carol-joy-to-the-world/
(2) Alyssa Poblete - https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/joy-to-the-world-a-classic-christmas-hymn-reconsidered/
