JOYFUL,JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE; Hymn Devotion for next Sexagesima Sunday, 18 February 2025 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are shonest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8
If there ever was a hymn of praise, this would lead the field. It combines wonderful biblical truths with the immortal composition of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony – last movement – of the same title. The lyrics were composed by Henry van Dyke for President Garfield (U.S. President) in 1907. “”Henry Van Dyke’s brilliant hymn of praise has many layers that add to the beauty of his text. As hymnologist Albert Bailey writes, within Van Dyke’s text, “creation itself cannot conceal its joy, and that joy is appreciated by God the center of it all; likewise all nature fills us with joy, caused fundamentally by our recognition of God as the giver”” Hymnary.org
JOYFUL,JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE
1 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,
Op'ning 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!
2 All Your 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
Praising Thee eternally!
3 Always giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Loving Father, Christ our Brother,
Let Thy light upon us shine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.
4 Mortals, join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
God's own love is reigning o’er us,
Joining people hand in hand.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life.
1 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee,
Op'ning 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! These lines represent pure praise to God without any appeal to the physical desires of man. The rose blooms on the sunny side, and the Sunflower turns its head to the sun as it transits the sun. God is our Light and our Sun. The morning clouds dissipate before the warm rays of the rising Sun, just as hate and malice melt away in the converted heart. Just as the traveler doubts his next footstep in the darkness of the mountain valley, so, the pilgrim in the valley of the shadow of death. But to the Christian pilgrim, God is the lamp unto his feet and the light unto his path. He travels securely and certainly through the valley and up the mountain slope.
2 All Your 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 Praising Thee eternally! I find the manner in which the words and music of this hymn so completely unite in an offering of praise to God remarkable. Beethoven, blind and absent any music composition for ten years composed this music in the latter years of his life – blind and despondent. But God save the best wine in Beethoven’s life for the last part – and even this movement is the last in his 9th symphony. Henry van Dyke obviously had his spiritual ear trumpet to heaven at the writing of these beautifully descriptive lyrics. All of nature gives evidence of its Creator and evinces a sense of beauty and comfort in all of its manifestations. The singing of birds, the roaring of the restless sea – all give voice to the singing of the angels. God has placed a flowing fountain of living waters in every vale.
3 Always giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Well-spring of the joy of living, Ocean-depth of happy rest! Loving Father, Christ our Brother, Let Thy light upon us shine; Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine. The grace and mercies of God are without limits to those who trust in Him. Just as the sun draws the vapors of water into Heaven to dissipate into life-giving rain, so does He lift the hearts of believers on high to be a blessing and a testimony to the mundane world. That beautiful old hymn on the ‘Love of God” wonderfully describes its measure as follows:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill,
and ev’ryone a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.
4 Mortals, join the mighty chorus, Which the morning stars began; God's own love is reigning o’er us,
Joining people hand in hand. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife; Joyful music leads us sunward In the triumph song of life. What a privilege for mortals to have voices that can be lifted to the ears and chorus of angels. Those angelic voices still sing since Creation morning as of old, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job 38:7 Our prayers are heard at the highest seat in Heaven, too. We are being prepared for that great feast and banquet of the end of the space/time continuum. Our shield and banner is love. “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:4 But not deceived, we have complete and unconditional victory in Christ, the Captain and Bishop of our souls. Not only is He our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, and King, but He is also our closely-held Brother.
No one can deny the power and beauty of both the musical score of Beethoven and the uplifting lyrics of Henry van Dyke. Who can deny that this combination of music and words were not informed of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
