O Come O Come

I so appreciate the many prophetic Old Testament references in O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

The title from Isaiah 7:14. The "rod of Jesse" from Isaiah 11:1. The "key of David" from Isaiah 22:22. The "wisdom from on high" from Isaiah 11:2. The "Day spring" from Zacharias' prophecy at the end of Luke.

In the pulpit teaching yesterday, we were reminded that "in the fullness of time, God sent forth His son..." (Galatians 4:4, but look at 1-7), and that "God does not look upon us because of what we do; God looks upon us because of what Christ has done." I am exceedingly grateful for that this advent week.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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