O Come, O Come Immanuel

All season this song has lingered in my head. It's not that annoying feeling you get when you get part of some jingle stuck in your head that you want out. It's like this song is trying to bore into my soul, to embed itself deep inside me with it's message. I've wondered why we sing a song asking God to come during the season we celebrate the very fact that he came to live among us. Why this haunting melody when so many other Christmas and Advent songs are joyous and full of wonder and praise?

I think it is because the Church, the new Israel, still lives in captivity. Her only hope lies in the deliverance of Immanuel, not born as a human child, but coming again in the full glory of God. It is faith in the promise that he will return for his Church that allows us to rejoice even while we remain in exile.

Somehow this song, with all it's verses (which it's a shame aren't as well known), links the God of the Old Testament to the God of the New Testament, it links to Moses, to David, to Jesus.

My question is what are we expecting during this season of Advent? I don't know if I have an answer yet.

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.

O come, Thou Day-star, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads to Thee,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come to lead us Adonai,
Who to the tribes on height of Sinai
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

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