Hymns Of Christmas — O Come, O Come, Emmanuel


On this first day of Advent, we look toward celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This anticipation, a joyful and hopeful expectation, is heightened at this time of year. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of everything the world says Christmas should be, we can instead quiet our hearts and focus on how special this season is.

When we look at the songs of the season, what better place to start than with a song of joy and anticipation. God's people have always been looking for the arrival of the Messiah, and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel speaks directly to Christ Himself, asking Him to come into both our world and our hearts.

The story of this beloved Advent hymn dates back to the 1600s and 1700s in Germany and France. It soon became a treasured song in many languages and denominations. The words and translations have changed over the years, but the theme remains the same: We are waiting for You to come save Your people.


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.

 Are you rejoicing? Are you looking forward to the day when Christ will appear again?

 O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.


The Israelites were waiting for the Christ to come physically and be on earth with them. Today, as we anticipate the days of Christmas, we also know there will come a day when the Lord will end the evil in the world and bring peace to every heart. This is what the story of Christmas is really all about.

 I pray that as we being the Christmas season, we will still invite Jesus Christ to come quietly into our hearts and lives.

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