"The Hymn of Joy" (often called "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" after the first line) is a poem written by

Henry van Dyke Henry Jackson van Dyke Jr. (November 10, 1852 – April 10, 1933) was an American author, educator, diplomat, and Presbyterian clergyman. Early life Van Dyke was born on November 10, 1852, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Henry ...

in 1907 with the intention of musically setting it to the famous "Ode to Joy" melody of the final movement of

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

's final symphony, Symphony No. 9.

Background

Van Dyke wrote this poem in 1907 while staying at the home of

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a col ...

president

Harry Augustus Garfield Harry Augustus "Hal" Garfield (October 11, 1863 – December 12, 1942) was an American lawyer, academic, and public official. He was president of Williams College and supervised the United States Fuel Administration during World War I. He was a ...

. He was serving as a guest preacher at Williams at the time. He told his host that the local

Berkshire Mountains The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...

had been his inspiration. The lyrics were first published in 1911 in Van Dyke's ''Book of Poems'', Third Edition. Van Dyke wrote of this hymn:

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.

"This hymn is generally considered by hymnologists to be one of the most joyous expressions of hymn lyrics in the English language." It is also used as a Christian song for children.For example, it is song number 147 in Bobb, Barry ''All God's People Sing.'' St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1992, 316 pp.

Original text

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hymn of Joy, The 1907 poems American Christian hymns Ludwig van Beethoven 20th-century hymns