This past week for Advent 2, we proclaimed the 'O' Antiphons and sang O Come, O Come Emmanuel, which is based on those antiphons. They probably originated in the 5th century or even earlier. Each antiphon would have been used in one of the vespers services leading up to Christmas, beginning on December 17 and concluding on December 23. Here they are, along with the related verse from the advent carol.
O Wisdom, O Holy Word of God,
You govern all creation with
Your strong yet tender care:
Come and show Your people
the way to salvation.
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
O Sacred Lord of Ancient Israel,
who showed Yourself to Moses
in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law
on Sinai mountain:
Come, stretch out Your mighty hand
to set us free.
O Come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
in ancient times didst give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe
O Flower of Jesse’s Stem,
You have been raised up as a sign
for all peoples;
kings stand silent in Your presence;
the nations bow down in worship
before You:
Come, let nothing keep You
from coming to our aid.
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
O Key of David,
O royal Power of Israel, controlling
at Your will the gate of heaven:
Come, break down the prison walls
of death for those who dwell in
darkness and the shadow of death,
and lead Your captive people
into freedom.
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
O Radiant Dawn,
Splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come, shine on those who dwell in
darkness and the shadow of death
O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
and cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight
O King of all Nations,
the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:
Come and save the creature
You fashioned from the dust.
O come, Desire of nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind;
bid envy, strife and quarrels cease,
fill all the world with heaven's peace
O Emmanuel,
king and lawgiver, desire of the nations,
Savior of all people:
Come and set us free, Lord our God.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear
