Joy to the World

England, U.S.A.

HISTORY AND SONG NOTES

Joy to the World was first published by Issac Watts (1674-1748), an English minister and composer of hymns, in 1719. However, the tune that is primarily known and used today was composed by American church music composer Lowell Mason in 1848 (1792-1872); Mason attributed parts of the tune to German composer George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). This song is associated with Christmas and the Christian religion.

Additional Verses:

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, wonders of his love

Singing and Instrument playing

With its joyful mood and uptempo beat, this tune works well as an instrument playing activity for young children. The melody may be too difficult, and have too wide of a range, for young children to sing themselves, but they may enjoy hearing you sing the song while they play instruments, playing along with the recording below, or singing the parts that repeat and that they recognize, such as “joy to the world.”

Shakers and bells work particularly well with this song, enabling the children to play along with the beat and feel the meter. Click here to read more about group singing or instrument playing.

AUDIO RECORDING with words FOR LISTENING, SINGING ALONG, AND LEARNING: 

Downloads:

PDF of Score: Joy to the World