Joy to the World
Isaac Watts's version of Psalm 98: the whole earth greets its coming King.
The words are public domain. We print a hymn only after checking it word for word against a dated old printing, and this one hasn’t been checked yet. Hymnary has it now.
“Joy to the World” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
The hymn calls heaven, earth and all people to welcome the Lord as King. It says his blessing reaches as far as the curse of sin, and that he rules the nations with truth and grace.
Isaac Watts based it on Psalm 98, which praises God as the King who comes to judge the earth. Christians sing it about Jesus, the King whose coming the psalm announces.
It is sung at Christmas and sometimes in Advent. Watts published it in 1719 in his book The Psalms of David Imitated.
For musicians and planners
| Words | Isaac Watts, 1719 | Public domain |
|---|---|---|
| Tune | ANTIOCH · George Frideric Handel (attributed); adapted by Lowell Mason | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages (attribution and rights only). The words are not transcribed here yet.
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.