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JOYFUL, JOYFUL WE
ADORE THEE
Joyful, joyful we
adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold
like flow’rs before thee, praising thee, their sun above.
Melt the clouds
of sin and sadness, drive the gloom of doubt away.
Giver of immortal
gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All thy 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 call us to rejoice in thee.
Thou art giving
and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,
wellspring of the
joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father,
Christ our brother, all who live in love are thine;
teach us how to
love each other. Lift us to the joy divine!
Text: Henry van
Dyke, 1852-1933
I love the melody
of this hymn. I could sit and listen to it over and over. But a
great hymn is the combination of beautiful music and inspiring
words. Together they make a stream of faith that we can jump in
and let flow over us. This assignment forced me to look closer at
the words. To my surprise, they really speak to me. They are about
many of the things I love. Each verse intertwines God and his
creation. The hymn relates the joy of God and the joy in God we
all feel. It tells how this love can bring us happiness and take
away our fear.
When I hear
Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the words of this hymn flow through my
head. I realize I have always known and loved them. I feel comfort
in this song. We all find comfort in the hymns that have been with
us all our lives.
The song takes us
into God’s world. It lays out before us the many wonders God has
created and entrusted to us, from the heavens above to the
grandeur that surrounds us. The hymn touches on all of the reasons
I love the outdoors.
God has built an
awesome sight. The earth’s visual aspects are unchallenged. But
“Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” reminds me of the beautiful music
to be heard in nature. It reminds me that we need to stop and
listen to the song God is singing. I often admire the beauty of
the blue jays, but when did I last listen to their song? I’m drawn
to the mountain waterfalls to take a picture, but I never try to
record it. I am missing half of God’s creation.
The verses also
remind us of God’s forgiveness and blessings. These blessings
transcend God’s creation, and we need to transcend our petty
differences to live together and care for that which has been
entrusted to us. We have forgotten how delicate the environment
truly is. The earth should be handled like fine china. If it is
abused, it will break and become useless.
Dear Lord, we
speak to you in voices raised in song. We pray that our hymns
glorify and exalt you. Teach us to also listen to the songs you
are singing to us. Let us find exaltation in your hymns. Only when
we come together, with harmony between our songs and your songs,
can we truly find the peace on earth you have provided us, not as
a substitute for heaven but as a small glimpse into its magnitude.
Bob Weaver
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