Hymn Guide: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
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Perhaps the most familiar hymn of Advent, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” has an ancient but obscure origin. References to the “O” verses, sometimes called the O Antiphons, are found in Latin literature as early as the 5th century. A set of Old English poems written around 800 AD expands upon the themes of each verse, exploring the meaning of each of Jesus’ titles. Eleanor Parker, a lecturer at Oxford, has written lovely translations and commentaries on these Old English poems, which are available on her blog. Our modern version of the hymn text was written by John Mason Neale, an Anglican priest and scholar of the 19th century.
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One of the most intriguing features of the hymn is its tune, Veni Emmanuel. This tune originated in a 15th-century French chant for burials and was later paired with the text by Thomas Helmore in 1851. Helmore recognized, quite brilliantly, that the somber experience of death and the hope of resurrection could double as a cover for the emotional territory of Advent. Both involve a somber hope of waiting upon God’s promises. Perhaps that is a good way of thinking about faith: a settled hope in God, even in the midst of the world’s decay.
Verse by Verse
Each verse begins with “O,” an indication of direct address, along with one of the prophetic names of Christ used before his birth. The hymn thus aligns the singer with the people of God when they waited for the fulfillment of God’s promised messiah.
Traditionally, one verse is sung each day from December 17th to December 23rd, beginning with Wisdom (see also Ashley Wallace’s ideas on celebrating these days in the home). But in modern renditions, we sing the last verse first, beginning with Emmanuel.
Verse 1
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
After the beautiful and haunting set-up of the verse, we come to a tonal resolution with the refrain.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”
The repeated “rejoice” stirs a sense of joy in the heart, yet the refrain’s final words return to a more somber tone, leaving us in a state of hopeful expectation.
Verse 2
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
In the traditional order, the first verse is Wisdom, referring to Proverbs 8 and Isaiah 11, and is sung on December 17th.
Verse 3
O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times didst give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Lord, or Adonai, refers to Exodus 3 and Exodus 20, and is sung on December 18th.
Verse 4
O come, thou Branch of Jesse’s Tree, free
them from Satan’s tyranny;
that trust thy mighty power to save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.
The Branch of Jesse refers to Isaiah 11:1-11, and is sung on December 19th.
Verse 5
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
The Key of David refers to Isaiah 22:22, and is sung on December 20th.
Verse 6
O come, thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadow put to flight.
Dayspring refers to Luke 1:77-78 and Isaiah 9:1-2, and is sung on December 21st.
Verse 7
“O come, Desire of Nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace.
Desire of Nations refers to Jeremiah 10:7, and is sung on December 22nd.
Verse 8
“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Emmanuel refers to Isaiah 7:14 and is sung on December 23rd.
On Video
Here are two renditions of the hymn. The first features organ and choir from Clare College, Cambridge. Be sure to listen to the end, to hear the descant on the final verse. The second, by modern Messianic Christian singer Joshua Aaron, is sung with a band in Jerusalem, in English and in Hebrew.
O Emmanuel
It is folly to the world wrapped in darkness, but our pleas to God to send us Immanuel find their answer in God’s naturally ordered creation by sending us a baby.
Advent: A Rookie Anglican Guide
Each December, we ask for gifts to our TRUE NORTH campaign. Help us point to Jesus through the riches of the Anglican tradition. This year, every gift up to $12,000 will be matched, for a total of $24,000! Our matching fund is put up by David Roseberry at Leaderworks, who writes on Substack as “The Anglican.” Give $100,…
