Then Sings My Soul Saturday - A Timeless Christmas Hymn

After studying the Old Testament a year or two ago and following the Israelites from their very beginnings when God called Abram to a new land, to their bondage in Egypt, wandering through the desert, to the Promised Land, into exile and back, through their many trials and triumphs, times of disobedience and failure as well as times of faith and victory, and then grasping what 400 years of silence must have been like after hearing God's voice & His word through His prophets, Christmas took on such a fresh new meaning for me.

I began to get just a small taste of how desperately they longed for their promised Messiah's arrival. We've never known what it was like to live in the days before Christ's birth. To wait. And watch. And long. It gives fresh meaning to the beautiful promise found in the prophecy from Isaiah:

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

I have come to love an ancient Christmas song from the 12th century. And as we sing it to commemorate and celebrate the Messiah's birth 2000 years ago, many of the words are also relevant to today as we long for Christ's return. I especially love the last verse.

My girl loves the music of Barlow Girl, and these sisters have a beautiful arrangement of this wonderful hymn on their brand-new CD, Home for Christmas.

O COME O COME EMMANUEL
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, 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, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Latin Text (12th Century)
Translated in 19th century

Find more songs to bless your weekend at Amy's!