It’s December 23rd, 2 days before Christmas and I have a Christmas treat for you – a new arrangement of the great Christmas/Advent carol, O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The ancient carol was originally written in latin in the 12th century. It is a cry for Emmanuel, God with us, to come and save His people. It also looks ahead to when Christ will come again in glory and truly dwell with His people.
So rejoice. Emmanuel has come and will come again to thee , O people of God.
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 rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice, rejoice…
O come, thou dayspring, 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…
