“O Come O Come Emmanuel” A Christmas Devotional

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is one of the most beloved Christmas hymns, not just for its mysterious melody, but for its rich meaning and longing for the promised Messiah.

In this Christmas devotional, we will look at the lyrics, explore the Biblical roots of the hymn, and reflect on how its message of hope, Emmanuel, “God with us,” still speaks to our hearts today.

The History and Origins Behind the Hymn

This song and it’s history are very interesting to me. It is a Latin hymn that was written and sung in the 12th century, but it wasn’t finished in the way that we know it until the 1800’s.

The song has an unknown author, but I am not surprised since it is an ancient hymn.  I did find where John Mason Neale and Henry S. Coffin both took the Latin text and translated some of the lyrics back in the 1800’s. These are the words we sing today. 

The most interesting thing I found about this song is that each stanza or verse is focused on a different name or attribute of Jesus Christ. Obviously, the title has His name Emmanuel, which means “God With Us!” Pay close attention and see each of the names bolded in the verses below.

History Snapshot:

• Originally written in Latin (Veni, Veni, Emmanuel), tied to “O Antiphons” which was sung during Advent.
• The melody traces back to medieval France and was later translated into English by John Mason Neale in the 1800s. (This explains the mysterious sound of the song.)

The Meaning of Emmanuel (God With Us)

When I think about all of the names of the Lord, Emmanuel or Immanuel has to be my favorite.

The name “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” It is a promise fulfilled in the birth of Jesus and also shared in Matthew 1:23. This hymn invites us to reflect deeply on God’s presence, not just in Bethlehem long ago, but in our lives today.

Lyrics of “O Come O Come Emmanuel”

The words of this hymn are public domain, so I will share all of them. There are many verses to this song. Most hymnals only have 4 verses, but I found 10!

O Come O Come Emmanuel

(Verse 1)

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

(Refrain, which is sung after every verse):
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

(Emmanuel literally means God With Us! What a blessing that the the Lord came down to live with us to make a bridge between Heaven and earth.)

(Verse 2)

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.

(Rod of Jesse was part of Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah.)

(Verse 3)

O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

(Verse 4)

O come, O Wisdom from on High,
Who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.

(Verse 5)

O come, O come, Great Lord of Might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.

(Verse 6)

O come, O Branch of Jesse’s Stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o’er the grave.

(Verse 7)

O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode.

(Verse 8)

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.

(Verse 9)

O come, O King of Nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.

(Verse 10)

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.

What the Lyrics Teach Us “O Come O Come Emmanuel”

Many years ago, Pastor Larry Jordan preached a sermon about the name Emmanuel or Immanuel – God With Us. It was so powerful and still sticks in my mind. I love to hear the Name Emmanuel, so obviously, I love the first verse.

More than just His Name being mentioned though is the fact they they are asking Him to ransom captive Israel. That says so much. He is our Ransom!

Some of the other lyrics that really stand out to me are:

• “To us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in it’s ways to go.”
• “From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory over the grave.”
• “Make safe for us the Heavenward road, and bar the way to death’s abode.”
• “Bid all our sad divisions cease, and be Yourself our King of Peace.”
• “Free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny.”
• “Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight.”
• “Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease; fill the whole world with Heaven’s peace.

These are amazing lyrics with marvelous meanings. We should sing this song year round!

Listen to “O Come O Come Emmanuel”

There are many versions of this song, but I love Chris Tomlin’s version. Click here to listen to it.

Other Favorite Christmas Songs

There is no way to share all of the wonderful Christmas songs! Although Christmas Day will soon be over, we can sing these hymns of praise and worship all year long.

Here are a few other Christmas songs that are just beautiful:

• Just a Girl by Brandon Heath
• Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton (Nothing really spiritual about this one, but I just love it.)
• While You Were Sleeping by Casting Crowns
• Christmas Day by Michael W. Smith
• I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Casting Crowns
• Mary Did You Know? by Michael English
• Gotta Get Up (It’s Christmas Morning) by Rich Mullins

Favorite Items

• O Come O Come Emmanuel Ornament
• “Emmanuel, God With Us” Devotional Book

Other Christmas Song Posts

• Joy to the World
• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
• Hark the Herald Angels Sing
• O Little Town of Bethlehem
• We Three Kings of Orient Are

Devotional Takeaways from the Hymn

• What does “God With Us” mean to you this Christmas?
• How can this hymn deepen your worship?
• Is there a verse that really sticks out to you? What about it makes it stand out to you?

Whether you’ve sung this hymn for years or you’ve just heard it for the first time, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” calls us to reflect on the fact that God came near and remains with us today. May this devotional enrich your Christmas worship and remind you that Emmanuel, (God with us) is the greatest gift.

Related Posts

What does That Song Mean? “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
Lessons from the Christmas Manger

Until next time,

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“Let the whole earth shout to the Lord; be jubilant, shout for joy, and sing.” Psalms 98:4