Familiar Christmas Carols come with fascinating backstories.
For centuries, yuletide carols have proclaimed the greatest news in history~ .. From the wondrous night of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem and up to our present day, Christmas has been a season of song. Here are the stories behind a few of the best known Christmas hymns still sung today.
"Joy to lite World"
"Joy to the World" was written by Isaac 'Watts, an English Christian Minister born in the late 1600s. At the time the British Church sang poems of rhyme and from Psalms of David. Watts as a young man decided to explore further. He studied the Psalms from the perspective of Jesus and the New Testament and formed them into song, beginning the concept of the English hymn.
This carol is Watts' interpretation of. Psalm 98. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music,” caused Watts to consider the reason for shouting forth joyfully to the Lord - the Savior had come to the world to redeem mankind.
British author, poet C.S. shared his confidence of eternal joy when he said,eternal joy when he said, "Joy is the serious business of heaven."
"Joy to the World" has been a timeless carol, spreading the joy of heaven on earth and brightening Christmases for nearly 300 years.
"Away In a Manger"
“Away in a Manger" is one of America's favorite children's carols and has been sung in 41 different tunes.
It has been rumored that this song was written by Martin Luther and has been referred to as "Luther's Cradle Hymn" for years. However, in 1945, Richard Hill published a fascinating article announcing the discovery of this song in an 1885 songbook titled "Little Children's Book," published by German Lutherans in Pennsylvania. The authorship of this song was not given, nor was any appearance of the song found in Luther's history of works.
Although the author remains a mystery, generations of children around the world have continued to sing and pray before falling asleep, "I love thee, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky, and stay by my cradle til morning is nigh."
"What Child Is This?"
In what is said to be the saddest of all keys, this song is set in the key of E minor. The melody, an old and famous British song, is slow and melancholic, originally written about a man pining for his lost love.
Its first association with Christmas came in the 1800s when William Chatterton Dix, an insurance agent in England, contributed his poetry to the words of the carol.
Dix pursued a career in insurance that allowed him to write prose and poetry for Christ in his free time, which he is most well-known for today.
Triumphant joy of the Savior'S birth and the sorrow of his sacrifice interlace in this song as we sing "This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Nails, spear, shall pierce him through, the cross be borne, for me, for you."
These are the tales of the Christmas carols. Enjoy and share.
Pastor Paul Leavens