Our first hymn of the advent season is the Latin version of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. These words have been traced to the eighth century when the medieval church chanted ‘O’ Antiphons during Vespers on the final days of advent. At least, that’s when they were established in church liturgy. There is a bit of evidence suggesting they were prayed or chanted before that. The tune we use is from a Requiem Mass in a fifteenth-century French Franciscan Processional.

The English words we’re familiar with come from Englishman John M. Neale in 1851. I have copied the words sung below the next video, showing a processional in the Basel Cathedral of Switzerland.

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 ESV).

Veni, veni Emmanuel;
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio,
Privatus Dei Filio.

Refrain
Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel,
Nascetur pro te, Israel!

Veni o Jesse virgula!
Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De specu tuos tartari
Educ, et antro barathri.
Refrain

Veni, veni, O Oriens;
Solare nos adveniens,
Noctis depelle nebulas,
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
Refrain

Veni, Clavis Davidica!
Regna reclude caelica;
Fac iter tutum superum,
Et claude vias inferum.
Refrain