Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by Punch Brothers
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel paints a vivid picture of the hopeful longing for the birth of Jesus Christ combined with the joy of his coming – a promise of freedom from sin, of the end of suffering, and a new beginning of peace on Earth. The song follows the traditional Latin text, crafted by the monk Venantius Fortunatus in the sixth century, with the title itself meaning “God with Us” in reference to the prophecies regarding the birth of Jesus. The familiar “O Come, O Come” is sung with great power and emotion, which intensifies as the last verse reaches its climax with the chorus, “O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.”
The lyrics of the song are hopeful, passionate and persistent as the singer puts forth a prayer to God for His presence. The entire song is a call to God for rescue and redemption for his people, Israel, and for all of mankind. It is both an expression of faith that the promised Messiah will come, and a call to action to be ready when that time arrives. The song explicitly asks Christians to live according to Jesus’ teachings and example and to faithfully prepare for the coming of the promised Messiah.
The song is packed with deep and moving lyrics that echo the longing of so many people for the day when the Son of God will appear. The power of the song is made plain by the fact that it is sung a cappella, allowing each voice to fully convey the intentional emotion of the piece. The song prepares us for the coming joy of redemption, and reminds us of the ultimate hope we all have in the promise of the Savior’s coming.