(I Watts. Source)
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP1L-QgXWCg
Like Ding Dong Merrily, this is another carol that doesn’t actually mention Christmas, but it does pick up on Christmas themes. The music seems reminiscent of, maybe inspired by, sections of Handel’s Messiah, but there doesn’t seem to be evidence he actually wrote it, and it was popularised in the nineteenth century. The music feels to me as if it’s a bit different from most carols, probably due to it’s baroque-esque style (sorry if I’ve got that wrong, I’m not a musician). The words are by Isaac Watts, an eighteenth century minister and hymn writer, several of whose hymns were still in the hymn book when I was growing up. (Verse 3 is often omitted).
The words are based on Psalm 98, read and interpreted in the knowledge of Jesus’s coming. Again, it’s a call to declare that God is with us- Emmanuel, yet again.
“... the Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her king!”
Earth is called to witness that God is God, to prepare for his coming. Not just heaven and humanity, but the natural world too, are called to bear witness to God’s actions in first creating and later coming to earth and into the hearts of those who choose to follow him.
“Let ev’ry heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing”
Maybe there’s something reminiscent of the angels’ song to the shepherds of ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests’ (Luke 2 v14). Not just humanity but the whole of creation will benefit from God’s coming to earth. It’s a theme picked up by Jesus shortly before his death and resurrection, when he’s told to get his followers to shut up and replies: “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19 v39-40)
It’s a healthy reminder that God isn’t just the god of humans, but of the planet as a whole. Biblical teaching is definitely of the opinion that humanity has a responsibility to care for the planet, to remember it’s not there to be exploited but is part of the same creation as we are. We have a duty to care for the natural world, because it and we are interlinked.
(When I say creation, I don’t think it matters whether you’re thinking of a literal interpretation of seven-day creation as in Genesis 1, or something vaguer like the setting up of a universe that has laws that mean matter behaves in a specific way to end up with the universe we have. The point is that God is responsible for creation- how is secondary.)
The last verse is a reminder of God’s sovereignty, his rulership over the world. We will be held accountable for our effect on the planet- whether that's species extinction from destroying habitats or the suffering of other humans for the comfort and greed of others.
God’s priorities are set out as truth, grace, righteousness and love. Righteousness here doesn’t mean self-righteousness (something we tend to associate with ‘godliness’, but rather acting correctly and with justice. Grace is a tricky biblical concept that tends to refer to love and mercy- the giving of second chances, blessings we receive not because we deserve them but because God wants us to have them.
We’re often- and with good reason- uneasy about the concept of sovereignty and rulers ruling by right rather than popular mandate. But it’s worth noting that God’s rulership isn’t the same as the kind of thing we find human governments doing. Ruling with truth and grace, righteousness and love- these things don’t sound like the characteristics of most dictators and strongman rulers. God’s rule as depicted here isn’t about a dictator riding roughshod over individual will and public opinion- it’s about people doing things God’s way because it’s demonstrably the best way of doing things, whether that’s feeding hungry kids or seeking peace or protecting the planet or welcoming refugees.
Frankly, I’d appreciate a bit more truth, grace, righteousness, justice, mercy and love from our leaders.
