It’s seven days from Christmas, so let’s look at the Christmas carol, O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Although this is my favorite Christmas carol, that’s not why I think your family should sing it this week.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel is probably one of the oldest carols we sing, dating back to the 800’s in Latin. Historically, Christians sang this song for 7 days leading up to Christmas. There are 7 stanzas in the poem or carol.
How can you use this gorgeous carol over the next seven days?
- What does Emmanuel mean?
- Discuss the meaning of one stanza each day.
- Look up in the Bible the phrase in the first line of each stanza. Discover what is referred to.
- Sing the song together after dinner each night or as you start your day.
- Allow your children to copy one stanza each day, until they have the entire carol copied. This can be done by teens, as well as younger children.
- Memorize the song as you sing it each day.
- If you’re studying Latin, have your children read the Latin version.
- How does the carol prepare your hearts for Christmas? How does it prepare you for Jesus’ second coming?
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, 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.
O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
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.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
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.
Question: What’s your favorite Christmas carol? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
