Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:21. It is the theme of my Joy Book and a powerful theme of Henry
Van Dyke, born in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1852. His hymn is considered one of the greatest
expressions of joy in English hymnody. This very able Presbyterian preacher and
writer taught at Princeton served as Navy Chaplain in WWI and even became
Ambassador to Holland and Luxembourg under Woodrow Wilson.
This hymn is considered his best and has a ring that fits
well into the seeming chaos of our world and nation today. The recent Donald
Trump inauguration comes at a time when people are afraid of many things,
except the Lord. He writes of his
purpose:
These verses are
simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in the present
time, hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thought
of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy their
religion or that any revolution on earth will overthrow the Kingdom of Heaven.
Therefore these are hymns of trust and hope. (101 Hymn Stories, Kenneth W.
Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1982)
The hymn portrays interplay between God’s created world and
the manifestation of this same creative spirit in the life of a believer. Great
metaphors like hearts unfold like flow’rs
before thee, reveal this simile of life. It goes on to speak of the Creator
and worshiping Him. He marshals us to
join with all God’s children in a mighty chorus of joy that began at creation’s
dawn. He is giving us the words of
encouragement for all circumstances of life. The hymn rises to the mountains of
which he was reminded in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
The tune “Hymn of Joy” comes from the first movement of
Beethoven’s 9th, or “choral” Symphony, thought to be his greatest.
He wanted to combine voice and instrument in a majestic expression. Poet
Friedrich Schiller who wrote, “Ode to Joy inspired him.” I have chosen some of its words linked
together that have the power of joyful gladness and the divine light of life.
Joyful, joyful, we
adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love…stars and angels sing around thee…Melt
the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away…Giver of immortal
gladness, fill us with the light of day! Call us to rejoice in thee…teach us
how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine. Joyful music lifts us
sunward in the triumphant song of life.
“Music is God’s gift to man, the only art of heaven given to
earth, the only art of earth we take to heaven.”- Walter Savage Landor
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.