Carol of Joy

Carol of Joy

I have had the privilege of being in BYU Women’s Chorus for the last two seasons. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience.
Except there have been many moments when I haven’t felt this way.
There are those few moments when I get too wrapped up in the stressful times, or the busy times. But this last weekend we had our combined choir/orchestra Christmas concert and this one song put the Christmas season back into my heart. It is the ending song called Carol of Joy. The lyrics are perfect! They are joy. They express jubilation, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, elation, ecstacy, etc. But they express it in a peaceful way. And the most amazing thing about the lyrics/music is that they express this joy through the sorrowful times to. This parallels one of my very favorite scriptures:

"And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet"
- D&C 29:39

I think the beginning is just showing the contrast between good and evil by the devil "tempting the children of men" but what I love is that if you don't have the bitter you can't know the sweet.

This is what the song is. Carol of Joy is all about the brief sunset fading, the shadows, the darkness before the carol. The carol of our Savior and Lord and Redeemer – Jesus Christ. The message of this song is simple and complex. The meaning has so many layers, yet the most important layer is that Christ has come to give us our carol of joy through him! What a glorious message and feeling. And even though some of the world feels more sadness than joy, or even though we feel more sadness than joy right now, it will be okay. We will feel the sweet joy because we knew the bitter sorrow.

Green leaves all fallen, withered and dry;
Brief sunset fading, dim winter sky.
Lengthening shadows,
Dark closing in...

Then, through the stillness, carols begin!

Oh fallen world, to you is the song
Death holds you fast and night tarries long.
Jesus is born, your curse to destroy!
Sweet to your ears, a carol of Joy!

Pale moon ascending, solemn and slow;
Cold barren hillside, shrouded in snow;
Deep, empty valley veiled by the night;
Hear angel music
hopeful and bright!

Oh fearful world, to you is the song
Peace with your God, and pardon for wrong!
Tidings for sinners, burdened and bound
A carol of joy!
A Saviour is found!

Earth wrapped in sorrow, lift up your eyes!
Thrill to the chorus filling the skies!
Look up sad hearted
witness God's love!
Join in the carol swelling above!

Oh friendless world, to you is the song!
All Heaven's joy to you may belong!
You who are lonely, laden, forlorn
Oh fallen world!
Oh friendless world!

To you,

A Saviour is born!