Played on flute, in chant style, this is meant to be meditative and reflective. I miss the traditional Catholic hymns and Sunday Morning Music is my way of keeping them alive and sharing them.
Read on for links to the lyrics and a little backstory on the hymn.
O Come O Come Emmanuel
1. 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.
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. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
3. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny; From depths of hell Thy people save, And give them vict’ry ov’r the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
4. 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! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
5. 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. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Based on the “O” antiphons
written in the 9th century in Latin, for the monks to chant in the days coming up to Christmas. O Come O Come Emmanuel was translated into English by Anglican priest John M Neil in 1851. It is traditionally sung to the Veni Emmanuel tune.
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