Advent Devotional Resource - San Francisco Theological Seminary

Tuesday, December 15“O Come, O Come,Emmanuel”The Latin hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” appeared around the ninth century. Each verse ofthe original hymn begins with a biblical name for Messiah found in seven Advent antiphons sung theweek before Christmas. Try each verse as a prayer each of the seven days before Christmas.O Come, O Come, EmmanuelAnd ransom captive Israel,That mourns in lonely exile hereUntil the Son of God appear.Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!O come, thou Wisdom from on high,Who ord’rest all things mightily;To us the path of knowledge show,And teach us in her ways to go. (Refrain.)O come, O come, thou Lord of might,Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s heightIn ancient times didst give the law,In cloud, and majesty, and awe. (Refrain.)O come, thou Rod of Jesse’s stem,From every foe deliver themThat trust they mighty power to save,And give them vict’ry o’er the grave. (Refrain.)O come, thou Key of David, come,And open wide our heav’nly home;Make safe the way that leads on high,And close the path to misery. (Refrain.)O come, thou Day-spring from on high,And cheer us by thy drawing nigh;Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,And death’s dark shadow put to flight. (Refrain.)O come, Desire of nations, bindIn one the hearts of all mankind;Bid though our sad divisions cease,And be thyself our King of Peace. (Refrain.)Dr. Daniel HoggattSFTS Professor of Church Music