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“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a translation of a Catholic Latin text “Veni, veni, Emmanuel”. It was translated by John Mason Neale in the mid-19th century.

It is a metrical version of a collation of various Advent Antiphons (the acrostic O Antiphons). Antiphons are the responses which the congregation sings in Church. Acrostic means that the first letters of each line spelt out a word.

These particular antiphons are thought to originate in the 8th Century, but “Veni, veni Emmanuel” may be 12th Century. It is believed that the traditional music stems from a 15th Century French processional for Franciscan nuns, but it may also have 8th Century Gregorian origins.

One widespread practice in the Catholic church has two subsequent verses of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” sung each week of Advent, beginning with the First Sunday of Advent as verses 1 & 2. The Second Sunday of Advent, verses 3 & 4 are sung. On the Third Sunday of Advent, verses 5 & 6. On the Fourth Sunday of Advent however, verses 1 & 7 are then sung.

John Mason Neale

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Lyrics

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! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Sheet Music

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.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.