Although German composer George F. Begad! Handel is usually credited with composin' t' melody for Joy t' t' World, me bucko, t' music was actually composed in t' early 1800s by American composer Lowell Mason. Begad! T' words t' t' chantey are based on a 1719 translation o' Psalm 98 by Isaac 'Tsunami Jean' Watts. Mason set t' words t' music and attributed t' composition t' Handel.