Joy to the World
Ralph Carmichael Lyrics


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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

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders and wonders of His love

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

Overall Meaning

Ralph Carmichael's "Joy to the World" is a timeless classic that embodies the true meaning of Christmas. The song is an expression of the joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who has come to save humanity. The song conveys a message of hope, gratitude, and love, and encourages people to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Lord.


The first stanza of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. It calls on the earth to receive her King, and for every heart to prepare Him room. The following line emphasizes the joyful nature of the occasion by bringing together Heaven and nature in song. The second stanza of the song continues the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and calls on men to use their voices to praise Him. The repetition of the phrase "repeat the sounding joy" emphasizes the importance of expressing joy and gratitude through music.


The final stanza affirms the power and grace of Jesus Christ as the ruler of the world. It emphasizes that Jesus Christ's love and righteousness are beyond human comprehension and serve as evidence of His divinity. The repetition of "and wonders of His love" reinforces the message of the previous stanzas.


In summary, "Joy to the World" is a powerful song that inspires us to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and to recognize His divine love and grace.


Line by Line Meaning

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let us all rejoice, for the Lord has arrived


Let earth receive her King
Let the entire world welcome Him as the King that He is


Let every heart prepare Him room
Let each of our hearts be open and ready to receive Him


And Heaven and nature sing
Even the heavenly beings and nature itself are singing with joy at His arrival


And Heaven and nature sing
They sing in unison with each other and with us


And Heaven and Heaven and nature sing
Their singing continues, full of bliss and rapture


Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Let us exult in the fact that the Savior of mankind is now reigning


Let men their songs employ
Men should sing out loud in glorification to Him


While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Even the various elements of creation join in the singing


Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy
They repeat it constantly, spreading the joyful news


Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
The joyous singing does not stop, it keeps on ringing out


He rules the world with truth and grace
He governs the world with righteousness, kindness and graciousness


And makes the nations prove
He enables the nations to testify to the magnificence of His righteousness


The glories of His righteousness
His righteousness is magnificent, shining brightly for all the world to see


And wonders of His love
His love for us is miraculous and full of awe-inspiring wonder


And wonders of His love
It is a love that we cannot fathom or describe in words


And wonders and wonders of His love
It is a never-ending love that continues to amaze us with its depth and greatness


Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let us all exult and revel in the fact that the Lord has arrived


Let earth receive her King
Let the whole world accept Him as their true King


Let every heart prepare Him room
Let us each make ourselves ready for Him, to receive and embrace Him


And Heaven and nature sing
Even nature and the heavens will continue to joyfully sing throughout eternity


And Heaven and nature sing
Their singing is a testament to the glory and magnificence of His name


And Heaven and Heaven and nature sing
Their singing will never end, as they sing of His eternal presence




Lyrics © HAL LEONARD LLC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Integrity Music
Written by: Isaac Watts, G Handel, Roger Wagner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Danny Terblanche


on He's There Waiting

Excellent rendition....lovely portrayal.

Gladys Gahman Roberts


on All My Life

Thank you for sharing these songs with us. Always loved this song!

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