THE WORLD
The Hills and The Rivers Lyrics
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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
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, 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
The lyrics of Joy to the World are a traditional Christmas hymn that was written over 300 years ago by English hymn writer Isaac Watts. The song speaks of the birth of Jesus Christ and the joy that his coming brings to the world. The first verse invites the Earth to welcome Jesus as its King, and to prepare a place for him in every heart, while heaven and nature sing in unison.
The second verse speaks of the Savior's reign, with all the world's songs employed in celebration. The fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, signifying the wide acceptance of Jesus as the savior of the world. The repetition of the second half of the verse emphasizes the magnitude of the message, urging everyone to join in the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth.
The final verse speaks of Jesus' rule over the world, ruling with truth and grace. His rule brings glory to his righteousness and the wonders of his love. The repetition of the last line emphasizes the love of Jesus Christ, a love that proved itself through his redemptive work on the cross. Overall, the song serves as a reminder of the joy, hope, and love that the coming of Jesus Christ brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Celebrate! The Lord has arrived in the world.
Let Earth receive her King
Let the planet welcome its new ruler.
Let every heart prepare Him room
Make space in your heart for Him to reside.
And heaven and nature sing
Even the heavens and elements rejoice at His coming.
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
They all sing and celebrate together.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Celebrate once more! The Savior is our King and ruler now.
Let all their songs employ
Let everyone's music and praises be employed in His honor.
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
The whole Earth is singing and rejoicing, from the flat plains to the mountains, from rivers to seas.
Repeat the sounding joy
Sing it again and again to spread joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace
He reigns over the world with honesty and kindness.
And makes the nations prove
This is proven true by the actions and behavior of all societies or cultures of the earth, regardless of religion.
The glories of His righteousness
All the wonderful achievements that have come from His fair policies and lack of corruption.
And wonders of His love
His acts of kindness and mercy are truly miraculous.
And wonders of His love
Once again, His acts of kindness and mercy are truly miraculous.
And wonders, wonders, of His love
These acts of kindness and mercy are beyond explanation or count.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Rejoice again! The Lord has arrived in the world.
Let Earth receive her King
May the earth welcome its new ruler.
Let every heart prepare Him room
Make space in your heart for Him to reside.
And heaven and nature sing
Even the heavens and elements rejoice at His coming.
And heaven and nature sing
Once again, even the heavens and elements rejoice at His coming.
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
All of nature sings and rejoices with the heavens.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Bluewater Music Corp., Integrity Music, Downtown Music Publishing, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOUGLAS GAMLEY, ISAAC WATTS, GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind