The words to “Joy to the World” are familiar because I’ve sung them since childhood.

But did you know Isaac Watts originally wrote “Joy to the World” as a reflection on Psalm 98?

Many of us sing this old Advent hymn at least once every December. But did you know it was not written about shepherds, angels, or a manger? Like Psalm 98, it’s a call to worship our King!

The Holy Spirit penned Psalm 98 to prophesy our Soon-Coming King. It’s about God stepping into the world to reign, rescue, and restore. Verse 6 commands us to “Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King!” Indeed, King Jesus is worthy of our praises!

Some have described “Joy to the World” as an accidental Christmas hymn, but I believe God meant it to be an on-purpose carol. Why? Because Christmas is not only the celebration of a Birth. It is the announcement that our King has come and will come again. And that is why joy is such a huge part of our redemption revelation.

The King Has Come

This royal Psalm begins: “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.”

We “sing” because of what God has done. Not because people tried harder. Not because the world fixed itself. But because God stepped in. Christmas tells us that God did not shout salvation from Heaven. He wrapped it in human flesh and laid it in a manger.

For His first Advent, our King came quietly. He came humbly. He came deliberately. He came to people who were weary, broken, overlooked, and waiting. That means Jesus came for you.

That’s why joy shows up at Christmas. Joy always follows the arrival of the King. The King has come, and He is coming again!

The Curse Is Being Reversed

Therefore, verse 4 declares, “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.”

One of the most powerful lines in “Joy to the World” says, “He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found.”

The curse of sin that flowed from Eden didn’t just affect hearts. It touched families. It fractured relationships. It scarred creation itself.

Christmas is the moment when God begins to push back the curse.

Jesus did not come only to soothe us. He came to restore what sin had broken. So, we rejoice when we read Romans 7:25-8:3 (click to read)!

Our Christian joy is not shallow. It is defiant! Our joy declares that darkness does not win! Joy proclaims that sin’s curse does not have the final word, for the Cross is our original Christmas tree (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The King Reigns in Righteousness

Hear verses 7-9 of this Advent Psalm:

“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.”

When our King comes again, He will “judge.” For some, that’s frightening. But for those who know our righteous King, this is hope.

C. S. Lewis illustrated this tension beautifully through Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia. When the children first hear that Aslan is coming, their reactions are mixed. Some are afraid. They ask if he is safe. And the answer comes back clearly. “Aslan is not safe, but he is good.”

That line explains Psalm 98 perfectly. A righteous King is terrifying only to those who oppose his rule. But to those who know him, love him, and belong to him, his coming is not dread. It is relief. It is justice. It is hope.

The One who will “judge the world” is the same One who was born in Bethlehem. The Hands that will rule the nations are the Hands that were pierced for our salvation.

Christmas is not the end of the story. It’s the beginning of the reign of our righteous King. The Kingdom of God is near because the King has come here, and He’s coming back again. His Cradle guaranteed His Crown. And that is why we sing, “He rules the world with truth and grace.”

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When you think about Jesus as King, does His return stir fear or hope in you, and what does that reveal about your relationship with Him today?

In what areas of your life are you still resisting Christ’s righteous rule rather than trusting His goodness as King?

Since Jesus truly reigns with truth and grace, how should that shape the way you live, worship, and face a broken world?