From the recording When He Comes Again
When He Comes Again- LIVE TODAY on all major streaming platforms! When the young Isaac Watts wrote the lyrics for Joy To The World, he didn’t intend it to be a Christmas song. Frustrated over how solemn and boring the other hymns in church were, he was challenged by his father to “write something better”. He turned to Psalm 98 and found his Joy! However, the lyrics were not written about the baby Jesus in the manger but the glorious Savior at His second coming that Christian’s have been looking forward to and still anxiously await!! Several years later, no doubt inspired by George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah”, an American composer named Lowell Mason added the melody we now know and love. Because of his obvious connection to Handel’s melodic lines in the Christmas section of the Messiah, the song quickly became associated with Christmas (and aren’t we all glad it did).
Inspired by this story, I decided to write a song building on Handel, Watts and Mason’s work but bringing it back to Watts’ original intent. A song about the Second Coming of the Savior!!
Lyrics
When he comes again it will not be to a stable
But the tiny babe from Bethlehem will be standing strong and able
When he comes again it won’t be a silent night
But the herald angels still will sing and the earth be filled with light
When he comes again to His feet we will run
And sing joy to the world the Lord has come
When He comes again there’ll be many wise who seek him
Not with gifts of this world but with our hearts and souls we ll greet Him
When he comes again more than shepherds will testify
People everywhere will tell the news that this is Jesus Christ
When he comes again we will see and know his face
And sing joy to the world for his amazing grace
That first Noel was sacred and in humility he came
To descend below it all so he could save us through his name
And when he come again every voice will raise and sing
That this boy from Bethlehem is our one true Lord and King
When he comes again he won’t wearing swaddling clothes
But will be standing on the mount, dressed in scarlet robes
When he comes again we will see his hands and feet
Bringing peace to our broken world, drying every tear stained cheeks
And when he come again the earth will never be the same
So we’ll sing joy to the world
He is our joy
Joy to the world until he comes again
Let earth receive her king!