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.

– Translator, J.M. Neale, 1851

A couple of weeks ago I came across a new arrangement of the classic hymn, “O come, O Come, Emmanuel” by the Christian band, Skillet. The performance capture both the almost mournful longing of people being oppressed and in need of “God with us” and the anticipation and celebration of what that day will be like when our faith in Christ is fully experienced when He returns and makes all things right.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

J.M. Neale translated the song from Latin in the 1800’s. Each of the verses of the song describe the characteristics and purpose of Christ. While we look forward to celebrating the birth of Christ, ultimately there is something more we long for, right?

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

While it is not as jubilant as some of the other hymns we may sing this Christmas, the tone of this song reminds of our need for a savior in a world this sometimes seems upside down.