O Wisdom! Spreading Mightily From out the Mouth of God Most High

For Advent

Words: Veni, Veni, Emanuel (the "O" Antiphons),
Authorship Unknown, 8th Century Latin;
Published: Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, Köln, 1710.

Translation attributed to Horatio Nelson, The Sarum Hymnal (Salisbury: Brown and Co., and W. P. Aylward, 1868), p. 19, No. 36.

Also found in Hymnal: according to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, 1871

Music: "Veni Emmanuel," 15th Century French Plain Song melody,
Arranged and harmonized by Thomas Helmore in
Hymnal Noted, Part II (London: 1854).
Based on a 15^th Century French Processional
(Some sources give a Gregorian, 8^th Century origin.)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Melody Only: MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Alternate Music: "St. Petersburg," Dimitri S. Bortniansky
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / Sheet Music / XML
"Veni Emmanuel," Charles F. Gounod (1818-1893)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Meter: 88 88 88

See: Notes on Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

Dec 16 -- O Sapientia:

O Wisdom! spreading mightily
From out the mouth of God most high,
All nature sweetly ordering,
Within thy paths thy children bring.
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Dec 17 -- O Adonai:

Ruler of Israel, Lord of Might,
Who gavest the law from Sinai's height;
Once in the fiery bush reveal'd.
With outstretch'd arms Thy chosen shield;
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Dec 18 -- O Radix Jesee:

O Root of Jesse! Ensign Thou!
To Whom all Gentile kings shall bow,
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Dec 19 -- O Clovis David:

O Israel's Sceptre! David's Key!
Come Thou, and set death's captives free,
Unlock the gate that bars their road,
And lead them to the throne of God.
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Dec 20 -- O Oriens:

O Dayspring and Eternal Light!
Pierce through the gloom of error's night;
Predestined Sun of Righteousness!
Haste with Thy rising beams to bless.
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Dec 22 -- O Rex Gentium:

O King! Desire of nations! come,
Lead sons of earth to heaven's high home;
Thou chief and precious Corner-stone,
Binding the sever'd into one.
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Dec 23 -- O Emmanuel:

O Lawgiver! Emmanuel! King!
Thy praise we would ever sing;
The Gentiles' Hope, the Saviour blest,
Take us to Thine eternal rest.
Draw near, O Christ, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.