Written by Judy Walters from the Village Church.
Buried in my parents’ saved letters and memorabilia I discovered a small, yellowed booklet. “The Christmas Caroler’s Book,” published in 1935, includes 80 pages of Christmas carols and their history. This discovery took me back to my childhood in the 1940’s. On a cold, sometimes snowy night, many neighbor children joined together to go caroling. Bundled in snow suits, earmuffs, and mittens, we went from house to house, singing carols. Most of them we knew by heart. Many adults came outside to applaud and sing along. Afterward we gathered in a warm house for a festive celebration, drinking homemade hot chocolate and enjoying old fashioned Christmas cookies. On Christmas Eve. at 11PM our family attended a beautiful Service at the nearby Presbyterian Church. The Scripture Story of Jesus’ birth was told and many carols were sung. On the stroke of midnight, the choirs and congregation broke out in the last song, “JOY to The World!” Until recently, I did not know that my favorite song, originally written by Isaac Watts, was not written for Christmas. Part of “Psalms of David,” published in 1719, it was a paraphrase of Psalm 98. To this day, I feel so thrilled to sing the verses telling us the Lord is come, Let Earth receive her king! He rules the world, And Wonders of His Love!”
Joy to the world; the Lord is come; Let Earth receive her king; Let ev’ry heart prepare him room, and heav’n and nature sing…He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove, the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love.
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