JOYFUL, JOYFUL WE ADORE THEE

The hymn for today is very therapeutic in those darker days; it says, “Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away,” requesting God to “Lift us to the joy divine.”

Born in 1852, Henry van Dyke lived a very accomplished life.  He became the pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City.  He later became professor of English literature at Princeton, and authored a number of books including the popular title “The Other Wise Man”.  He was appointed the American Ambassador to the Netherlands by his friend Woodrow Wilson.  During World War 1, he was the Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy Chaplains.  He was Commander of the Legion of Honour and President of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.

In 1907, Henry was invited to preach at Williams College in Massachusetts and was inspired by the Berkshire mountains.  At breakfast one morning, he handed the school president a paper explaining that it was a hymn that needed to be sung to Beethoven’s music ‘Hymn of Joy’.  He went on to say that this hymn should be used by “…people who are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy religion…or any revolution on earth will overthrow the kingdom of heaven…it is a hymn of trust and joy and hope!”

May you be drawn to higher levels of joy when you sing Henry’s song, JOYFUL, JOYFUL WE ADORE THEE.