Joy Has Dawned Upon The Earth

During the season of carol singing I have a new favourite modern carol. Hardly a crowded field I know but this is a mere five years old, easy to sing and packed with good theology. Have I put you off yet? Joy Has Dawned is by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty, who are responsible for much great music for today's church. Of the four verses I like the third best:

Shepherds bow before the Lamb,
Gazing at the glory;
Gifts of men from distant lands
Prophesy the story.
Gold, a King is born today,
Incense, God is with us,
Myrrh, His death will make a way,
And by His blood He'll win us.

The three gifts is a great sermon outline and I am blown away afresh by the image of the shepherds bowing before the Lamb of God.

Well worth looking out for on the internet or rediscovering if you have the live Stuart Townend double CD; it's tucked away at the end of side one.