Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
Sing to the Lord with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity. ~Psalm 98
“Joy to the world . . .” Meifang stopped mid-sentence and forced down a sob as painful memories of her mom flooded her mind. This time last year, her mother stood right next to her, singing the same song. But now she was gone, her life tragically cut short by an accident. For Meifang, Christmas would never be the same again. It was hard to celebrate when all she had was sorrow and grief.
Perhaps, like Meifang, you’re feeling grief or sorrow this Christmas. How can you sing for joy when your heart is full of pain? Isaac Watts originally penned “Joy to the World” not as a Christmas carol but as a reminder of our future hope when Christ returns. It’s based on Psalm 98—a psalm that calls the earth to praise God for His love and faithfulness (v. 3). He came to save (v. 1), announce His victory, and reveal His righteousness (v. 2). And He’ll come again “to judge the earth” with righteousness and fairness (v. 9). These are great reasons for us to sing with joy.
If this Christmas is tinged with sorrow and grief, hold on to the hope of Christ. Not only does He provide comfort now but He also assures us of our future hope. One day all sorrow and pain will cease when Jesus comes again and wipes every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4).
Poh Fang Chia
Shout What has Jesus made possible through His first coming that you can be joyous about? What is the joyous hope you can look forward to in His second coming?
Heavenly Father, I sing for joy to You, for You have done wonderful things!
