Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 836)
1 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.
2 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.
3 Thou art giving and forgiving,
ever blessing, ever blest,
well-spring 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; Music: Ludwig van Beethoven; Public Domain
Devotion
In the ELW this hymn is included in the selection of hymns titled “Praise and Thanksgiving.” We also notice that the hymn’s pointing to “clouds of sin and sadness” and “the gloom of doubt” is a realistic description of how we sometimes perceive what is going on in life for us. In our personal and family life, and in the wider world of community, nation and world, sin, sadness, and gloom can seem overwhelming. But the hymn writer looks to God for a much bigger context, a context that sees first the grace and blessing of God and sees the goodness and beauty of the creation. Field and forest, ocean and meadow, singing birds and flowing waters are all evidence of God’s abundant providing. Therefore, life is a gift we share together with all that is. The response to this gift is not just words of thanks but songs of adoration. The hymn appeals to our hearts to be open and lifted in praise.
Prayer
Giver of immortal gladness, awaken our senses to your presence in this shared life we have with one another and all that you have made. By your Spirit renew our spirits that we might be instruments of your love. Amen.