Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Dear Friends,
This is the season of joy, and perhaps no melody compares with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” written in 1824. Ludwig Van Beethoven adapted the words of a non-religious poem “An die Freude,” by Friedrich Schiller, as part of the lyrics for the finale (chorale) movement of his Ninth Symphony. In 1907, American author Henry Van Dyke wrote a poem that became the lyrics to the English hymn “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.” Both the German and English versions are often used as part of Christmas cantatas although neither specifically mention the birth of Christ.

Sometimes we hear the music of the season, but fail to take time to listen for the meaning the words convey. Below are the beautiful words to the hymn “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” followed by a reprise I wrote in 2014, adding the Good News to a Christmas Worship Festival.

“Joyful, joyful We Adore Thee”

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee,
Opening to the Sun above,
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
earth and heav’n reflect Thy rays,
stars and angels sing around Thee,
center of unbroken praise:
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
well-spring of the joy of living,
ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother —
all who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other,
lift us to the Joy Divine.

Mortals join the mighty chorus,
which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o’er us,
brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music lifts us sunward
in the triumph song of life.

Reprise to “Ode to Joy
Joyful, joyful, we are joyful.
Celebrate the Savior’s birth.
God’s own Son was sent to save us;
brought Good News to all on Earth.
From his cradle to Golgotha,
Jesus came to bear our sin.
Open wide the gates of heaven’
all who love Him enter in.

Verse of the Week:
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 18:37

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ