Lyrics
O come
O come, Emmanuel
Thy ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears
Rejoice
Rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
Ooh, ooh
Yea, yea
Oh
Mm, mm
Ooh, ooh
Uh
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
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high
And order all things far and nigh
To us the path of knowledge show
And lead us in the way to go
Rejoice
Rejoice
Rejoice (O come, Emmanuel)
Rejoice
Rejoice
Rejoice (O come, Emmanuel)
Rejoice
Rejoice
Rejoice (O come, Emmanuel)
Rejoice
Rejoice
Rejoice (O come, Emmanuel)
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Come O,
O come,
Come Emmanuel
Rejoice
Rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
This rendition of the Advent hymn gives voice to longing for Emmanuel, the promised presence of God with his people. The opening verse pictures Israel in exile awaiting deliverance, while the refrain answers mourning with a call to rejoice. Later verses invoke the rod of Jesse and wisdom from on high, joining hopes of freedom, victory over the grave, ordered life, and guidance in the right path. Repetition of the appeal for Emmanuel intensifies the sense of expectation.
The lyric draws on several biblical images associated with the Messiah. Isaiah 7:14 supplies the name Emmanuel, meaning that God is with his people. Isaiah 11:1–2 describes a shoot from Jesse endowed with the Spirit of wisdom, closely matching the hymn’s language. Its movement from captivity and darkness toward divine arrival makes the song especially suited to Advent and Christmas worship. Hope is expressed not as vague optimism but as confidence that God comes to redeem, guide, and overcome death.
Related Scripture
- Isaiah 7:14 Isaiah foretells the child called Immanuel, meaning God with us.
- Isaiah 11:1-2 The promised shoot from Jesse is associated with wisdom and the Spirit.
- Matthew 1:22-23 Matthew identifies Jesus with Isaiah’s promise of Immanuel.