Bible Verses for O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is an advent song that has been around for a long time. It is based on the O Antiphons that go back to at least the eighth century. The later version, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, is believed to date back to the twelfth century, though it was published in 1710 in Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum in Latin. Additional stanzas (Wisdom and Desire of Nations) were added in 1878. 

The major English translations were written by John Mason Neale in 1851 and later revised in 1861. The revision changed "Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel" to "O come, O come, Emmanuel." In 1906, Thomas Alexander Lacey also translated the text. The additional verses were translated by Henry Sloane Coffin in 1916.

This carol is undoubtedly based on Scripture passages.  It looks at many prophetic passages about the first coming of Jesus, born in Bethlehem.  As an advent song, it looks forward to Jesus' first arrival.  Although that event has already passed, we now both rejoice over the work Jesus did in His first coming and look forward to the final fulfillment in His second coming.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Verse 1:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,

Prophesying about Jesus in Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

An angel told Joseph in Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear A Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” 

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

Speaking of Israel in the Millenium in Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

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

Luke 2:10-12 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Verse 2:

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Prophesying about Jesus, in Isaiah 11:1-2 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

Acts 10:38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.

I Corinthians 15:54-57 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:14-15 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 

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

Verse 3:
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer

Zacharias prophesying about John the Baptist leading the way for Jesus, in Luke 1:76-79 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Balaam prophesied in Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, znd tear down all the sons of Sheth."

Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Isaiah 9:2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.

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

Verse 4:
O come, Thou Key of David, come

Speaking of Jesus in Revelation 3:7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:"

And open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

Verse 5:
Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,

1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,

Who ordered all things far and nigh; 

Jeremiah 51:15 It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.

To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

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

Verse 6:
Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind

Haggai 2:7 (KJV) And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

All peoples in one heart and mind; 

Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease,
Fill all the world with heaven's peace. 

Ephesians 2:14-16 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

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