Seven Joys Kate Rusby

[Verse 1]

The first good joy that Mary had it was the joy of one

To see her own son Jesus Christ when he had first begun

When he had first begun, good Lord and blessed may we be

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

[Verse 2]

The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of two

To see her own son Jesus Christ smiling first anew

Smiling first anew, good Lord and blessed may we be

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

[Verse 3]

The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of three

To see her own son Jesus Christ making the blind to see

Making the blind to see, good Lord and blessеd may we be

Praise Fathеr, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

[Verse 4]

The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of four

To see her own son Jesus Christ reading the Bible o'er

Reading the Bible o'er, good Lord and blessed may we be

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

[Accordion Solo]

[Verse 5]

The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of five

To see her own son Jesus Christ bringing the dead alive

Bringing the dead alive, good Lord and blessed may we be

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

[Verse 6]

The next good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of six

To see her own son Jesus Christ upon the crucifix

Upon the crucifix, good Lord and blessed may we be

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

[Verse 7]

The last good joy that Mary had, it was the joy of seven

To see her own son Jesus Christ ascending into heaven

Ascending into heaven, good Lord and blessed may we be

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost through all eternity

(At the begnning of the twentieth century Cecil Sharp found a woman in Mark, Somerset, called Jane Duddridge. She sang a version with three extra verses

8 The next great joy that Mary had, it was the joy of eight,

To see her own Son Jesus to bring the crooked straight;

To bring the crooked straight, good man, etc., etc.

9 The next great joy that Mary had, it was the joy of nine,

To see her own Son Jesus turn water into wine;

Turn water into wine, good man,etc., etc.

10 The next great joy that Mary had, it was the joy of ten,

To see her own Son Jesus bring up ten gentlemen;

Bring up ten gentlemen, good man, how happy may you be;

O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and Christ to eternity.)

The virgin birth

The Pulpit Commentary

“Christianity starts with a miracle. It is a miracle altogether so stupendous and so unique that its reception settles the whole question of the possibility of the miraculous. He who can believe that God shadowed himself to our apprehension in the likeness of a man, he who can recognise in the Babe of Bethlehem, both the Son of God and the Son of Mary, will find that no equal demand is ever afterwards made upon his faculty of faith. Both Testaments begin with a miracle. A world of order and beauty arising out of chaos is a miracle as truly as is the birth of a divinely human Saviour by the Divine overshadowing of Mary.”

(see here)

James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000)

“It is significant that the life of the Lord Jesus is bracketed by two great miracles. At the beginning is the virgin birth; He came into being without benefit of a human father, and so was the Son of God and son of man in a unique way. At the end is the resurrection: He conquers and transcends the greatest of all enemies, death. What clearer way did God have of drawing attention to this one who is unique in human history?”

(see here)