O Come O Come Emmanuel, Part 1

As we enter the season of Advent, the elders and I will be writing several blog posts exploring the theology and history of different beloved Christmas carols. We hope these reflections will serve as devotional helps—something you and your family can read together as you seek to focus on the Lord this season. Check back often for new posts.

My favorite Christmas hymn is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” I absolutely love it. To me, it’s one of the most beautiful songs we sing at any point in the year. The melody and lyrics work together to produce a haunting, yearning ache that perfectly captures the longing at the heart of Advent. And its history is among the oldest in the Christian liturgy—rich with depth, Scripture, and even a “hidden message” woven into the ancient text. Over the next four weeks, leading up to Christmas Eve, I want to walk with you through this hymn’s background and its profound theological meaning.

For over 1,200 years, Christian monks have gathered each evening from December 17–23 to sing what are called the Great Advent Antiphons—short refrains sung before and after the reading of Scripture. Sung in Latin, each antiphon invokes a specific title for the Messiah drawn from Scripture: Sapientia (Wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), Clavis David (Key of David), Oriens (Dayspring of the East), Rex Gentium (King of the Nations), and finally, Emmanuel (God With Us).

What many don’t realize is that these seven titles hide a message. When you take the first letter of each (in Latin) backwards, they form the acrostic ERO CRAS—“Tomorrow, I come.” It’s a beautifully layered reminder that the church built its worship around cultivating anticipation for Christ’s coming.

With that background in place, let’s look at the first two antiphons—and the first two verses of the hymn—theologically.

1. “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.”

This verse corresponds to the antiphon O Sapientia—O Wisdom. In Scripture, Christ is the very Wisdom of God (Prov. 8; 1 Cor. 1:24). He is the One who orders creation, reveals the path of life, and leads His people into true knowledge. Advent reminds us that Wisdom is not merely a principle—it is a Person who has come near.

2. “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.”

This verse matches O Adonai—O Lord. Here the hymn reaches back to Exodus, where the Lord revealed Himself in fire and cloud on Sinai. The stunning claim of Advent is that the same Lord who thundered from the mountain has come to us in flesh and humility. The Lawgiver has become our Redeemer.


As we meditate on these first two titles—Wisdom and Lord—we’re reminded that Advent is a season shaped by longing. We wait for the One who orders all things and leads His people in the way of life. We wait for the Lord who once descended in fire and cloud and has now drawn near to us in Jesus Christ.

I’ll continue walking through the remaining verses every Saturday throughout Advent. And if you’re joining us for worship on Sundays, we’ll close each service by singing a few lines from this beautiful hymn. I hope you’ll join us as we wait, watch, and worship together.