Carrie Underwood – Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee Lyrics and Meaning

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee is Track 01 on Carrie Underwood’s album My Gift.

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee Song Lyrics:

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day

All Thy works with joy surround Thee
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee
Center of unbroken praise
Field and forest, vale and mountain
Flowery meadow, flashing sea
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee

Mortals, join the happy chorus
Which the morning stars began
Father love is reigning o’er us
Brother love binds man to man
Ever singing, march we onward
Victors in the midst of strife
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee Song Meaning:

While it is commonly called “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”, the original poem “The Hymn of Joy” was written by Henry Van Dyke, with the intention to put the poem to the tune of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”.

These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this 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 religion, or any revolution on earth overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope.

Henry Van Dyke

Van Dyke wrote the poem in 1907, and told his host, Harry Augustus Garfield, that the local Berkshire Mountains were his inspiration.