Assurance and consolation

This beautiful advent carol speaks of the yearning, longing for God but also of the assurance he will come. Each verse uses a title of Jesus, that shows the expectations and desires Israel had of their Messiah. We came across another wonderful one in the reading about Simeon, the 'Consolation of Israel'. Simeon says, "my eyes have seen your salvation". Assurance and consolation - surely this is part of our experience of God and should continue to be in fuller and greater measure?

O come, O come, Emmanuel is a translation of the Latin text ("Veni, veni, Emmanuel") by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin in the mid-19th century. The text is based on the biblical prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel (Lit.: God with us).

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O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

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 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.

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 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.