The Meaning Behind the Words of the Advent Song 'O Come O Come Emmanuel'

We're continuing our journey through Advent, and one of the songs we hear this time of year is O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. If you took a poll of Americans and ask, what's your favorite Christmas song? This song would probably come up, but it's technically not a Christmas song.

It's an Advent song. The version that we know today has a very haunting melody and very profound lyrics. It really helps us connect with the season, and it has for a few centuries. But the roots of this song, oh come, oh come, Emmanuel, are deeper, and they go back farther. They draw from ancient prayers that echo the longing of God's people for the Messiah.

And the foundation of the song is what the church calls the oantophons. They form the very backbone of the song. The oantophons are seven short ancient prayers, and they each begin with the exclamation o. The antiphons have been part of the church's liturgy since at least the sixth century, some historians think even earlier than that. They emerged from monastic traditions where monks and nuns would chant them during evening prayers in the days leading up to Christmas, specifically from December 17 to December 23.

The way they would do it is one antiphon would be recited each evening before and after the Magnificat. Why does this song connect with us so much? Well, the oantiphons are like a countdown to Christmas, and they've been blended into this modern hymn with these ancient roots. And it really does intensify our anticipation for the birth of Christ as we move through Advent closer and closer to Christmas. Now each one of the antiphons addresses Jesus by a different messianic title that's drawn from the Old Testament, mainly the prophecies of Isaiah.

And they weave together the themes of salvation history, from creation, through the promises to Israel, to the incarnation, even hence of the second coming. Now, how did it all come together, these ancient antiphons? How did they get weaved into the hymn that we know today? Well, the Latin version is Veni Veni Emmanuel, and that goes back to the twelfth century, when the antiphons were adapted into metrical verses for use among more people. But the English version we know today was crafted in the nineteenth century in England.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, the melody has a Gregorian chant like quality. Right? It it just feels like it connects us to the past. It feels like it transports us in time back to the days where they were anticipating the birth of the Savior. Now, I want to just share with you a little bit about each verse and explain each one if we can.

The first verse, oh come, oh come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. This draws from the antiphon, oh, Emmanuel, prayed on December 23. Now, Emmanuel means God with us. It's a direct prophecy from Isaiah seven verse 14. Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign.

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. Matthew echoes this in his gospel, chapter one verse 23, applying it to Jesus. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel. The next verse, O come thou wisdom from on high, who orderest all things mightily, to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in thy ways to go. This comes from O Sapientia, the Antiphon for December 17.

It personifies Jesus as divine wisdom. Drawing from Isaiah 11 verses two and three, the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might. The Apostle Paul identifies Jesus as wisdom. In First Corinthians, he writes, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God, who has become for us wisdom from God. The third verse is, oh come, oh come, oh Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height, in ancient times once gave the law in cloud and majesty and awe.

This is based on the antiphon, O Adonai, for December 18, meaning, oh, Lord. And it recalls God giving the 10 Commandments in Exodus amid thunder and cloud on Mount Sinai to Moses. We read about this in Exodus chapter 20 verses one and two, and god spoke all these words. I am the lord your god who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Isaiah chapter 33 verse 22 reinforces that God is the law giver.

For the Lord is our judge. The Lord is our law giver. The Lord is our king. It is he who will save us. The fourth verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

O come, thou branch of Jesse's tree, from every foe deliver me, that trust thy mighty power to save, bring them in victory from the grave. This comes from the Antiphon recited on December 19, meaning, Oh, root of Jesse. Jesse was King David's father, and this prophecies the Messiah from that line in Isaiah chapter 11 verse one and verse 10. A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse. From his roots, a branch will bear fruit.

In that day, the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. Paul quotes this in the book of Romans. The root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations. This is promising deliverance from enemies, including death, pointing to the hope of resurrection. The fifth verse.

Oh, 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. This comes from the December 20 Antiphon, and it's an image of Isaiah twenty two twenty two. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David.

What he opens, no one can shut. And what he shuts, no one can open. Jesus holds authority to unlock heaven and to shut out evil. He says that in Matthew chapter 28, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. The sixth verse.

Oh, come, thou dayspring from on high, And cheer us by drawing nigh. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death's dark shadow put to flight. Based on the antiphon from December 21, meaning, oh, day spring or rising sun. It draws from the book of Malachi, which includes this verse. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays.

This reminds us that Jesus scatters spiritual darkness and brings us light and peace. Finally, verse seven. Oh, 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. This comes from the December 22, oh Antiphon, oh king of nations.

The Old Testament book of Haggai calls the Messiah the desired of all nations. Isaiah, in chapter nine verse six, proclaims four, to us a child is born, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Prince of Peace. Isaiah two verse four, he will judge between the nations. And in the New Testament, in Ephesians, describes Christ in chapter two verses 14 through 16 as our peace. The one who will reconcile divided humanity through the cross.

So as you hear, oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, throughout Advent as we journey to Christmas, it's it's not just some song that was written, you know, fifty or one hundred years ago. It has this rich, deep history going centuries more than a millennia back into the history of the Catholic Church. As you listen to that song, may the words deepen your preparation for Christmas, reminding us that Emmanuel has come, is with us now, and will come again.