One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is the music. I really love Christmas music! In fact, if it so good, I wonder why do we listen to it only one season of the year?
Over the next several days, I want to share a few of the "histories" of some of our favorite carols. These are pulled from "Near to the Heart of God - Meditations on 366 Best-Loved Hymns," a daily devotional by Robert J. Morgan.
Today's hymn history is about "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."
"In medieval Europe, there were cathedral services each evening leading up to Christmas Eve. Each service would begin with an antiphon, a choral call to worship. There were seven 'Great O Antiphons,' beginning with the Latin word vini ('come'), followed by the Latin words for 'O Wisdom," 'O Lord,' 'O Branch of Jesse,' 'O Key of David,' 'O Dayspring,' 'O King of Nations,' and 'O Emmanuel.'
"These choral prayers were rooted in messianic titles used by the prophets in the Old Testament, pleas for God to come. During the 1800s, various English translationsof the 'Great O Antiphons' were made. This well-loved British version is the work of Thomas Alexander Lacey, who was born December 20, 1853."
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
"Emmanuel" means "God with us" and how very appropriate that we continue to invite our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be "with us" - not only at Christmas, but at all times.
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