For Advent

Words: John Mason Neale (1818-1866) and William Cooke (1821-1894) from the Latin
Veni, Veni, Emanuel

"In Wisdom hast Thou made them all." -- Ps. civ. 24.

Music: Benison, German, 1707
Immanuel, J. W. Elliott
Meter: 8.8.8.8; 8.8.

Source: Sir Arthur Sullivan, ed., Church Hymns With Tunes (London: SPCK, 1885), Hymn 74, pp. 54-55.

See: Draw Nigh, Draw Nigh, Emmanuel
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Version 1
O Wisdom, Sovereign Master of Man's Soul

See: Notes on Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

Part I.

O Wisdom, who o'er earth below
Forth from the mouth of God didst flow,
The path of prudence teach, that we
May dwell eternally with Thee.
Draw nigh and help us when we call,
And strongly, sweetly, order all.

Part II.

Ruler and Lord, draw nigh, draw nigh!
Who to Thy flock on Sinai
Didst give, of ancient times, The Law,
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Draw nigh, draw nigh, with us to dwell,
And save, O God, Thine Israel.

Part III.

O Rod of Jesse's stem, arise,
And save us from our enemies;
And set us free from Satan's chains,
And from the pit with all its pains.
Draw night, draw nigh, with us to dwell,
In haste to save Thine Israel.

Part IV.

Key of the house of David, come!
Re-oipen Thou our heavenly home,
Make safe the way that we must go,
And close the paths that lead below.
Draw nigh, draw nigh, with us to dwell,
And save us, Lord, from sin and hell.

Part V.

O Morning Star, arise, draw nigh,
To gove us comfort from on high;
Drive Thou away the gloom of night,
And pierce the clouds, and bring us light;
Draw nigh, draw nigh, with us to dwell,
In mercy save Thine Israel.

Part VI.

O Thou on whom the Gentiles wait,
Who midst the nations shall be great,
Thy Church's chief and corner-stone,
Who in Thyself hast made all one;
Draw night and save, for Thine own sake,
Mankind whom thou of dust didst make!

Part VII.

Draw nigh, draw nigh, Immanuel!
And loose Thy captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
Come now to thee, O Israel!

Sheet Music from Church Hymns With Tunes, 1885

Notes:

The index to Church Hymns gives credit for the lyrics to Rev. John Mason Neale and Rev. William Cooke. Rev. Neale is well known to hymnologists, but Rev. William Cooke is less known. John Julian in the Dictionary of Hymnology has an extensive profile (below), which includes authorship of a Book of Hymns for the use of the Congregation worshipping at St. John's, Charlotte Street, London. He was also associated with The Church Hymnal (1853) and The Hymnary (1872). The latter volume contained a series of hymns based on The O Antiphons.

The background to this rendition is given by John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Volume 1 of 2, "Antiphons," "ii. Metrical Translations," p. 74:

An early metrical rendering of the separate Antiphons was made by Canon William Cooke, and appeared in the Cooke and Denton Hymnal of 1853. Canon Cooke's account of the same is: "Where it was possible, the translator and arranger (who was William Cooke), took the words of Mr. A. J. Beresford Hope's translation of the hymn 'Veni Veni Emanuel,' in the Hymnal N.*; retaining the prayer of the Prose Anthem for the Advent of Christ."

Julian then gives the first lines of each of the seven verses.

* Hymnal N. is, presumably, The Hymnal Noted, Parts I & II (1851, rev. 1854) by Rev. John Mason Neale and Rev. Thomas Helmore. Project Canterbury gives credit to A.J.B. Hope for Hymns of the Church, Literally translated, for the Use of English Congregations. (London: Francis & John Rivington, 1844). I have been unable to locate a copy.

Biographical Note concerning William Cooke from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology. Volume 1 of 2 (1892), p. 262.

Cooke, William, M.A., was b at Pendlebury, near Manchester, in 1821, and was educated in private schools. In 1839 he went up to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and took his B.A. degree in 1843, and his M.A. in 1847. Ordained Deacon in 1844, and Priest in 1845, by the Bishop (Blomfeld) of London, and having served the Assistant Curacies of Hillingdon, near Uxbridge, and of My hold and Brantham in Sullolk, he was presented, in 1848, to the Incumbency of St. John's, Charlotte Street, London; in 1850, to the Vicarage of St. Stephen's, Shepherd's Bush,; and in 1856, to the Vicarage of Grazeley, Suffolk. In 1850, he was a Select Preacher to the University of Cambridge; and from 1849 to 1857, Examining Chaplain to the Bishop (Graham) of Chester, by whom he was made Honorary Canon of Chester in 1854. In 1868 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He is the author of The Power of the Priesthood in Absolution, in 1863; Of Ceremonies, Lights and Custom (a Letter to the Rev. T. W. Perry), and various Sermons. In 1849, he issued a Book of Hymns for the use of the Congregation worshipping at St. John's, Charlotte Street, London; in 1853 was joint editor with the Rev. William Denton of The Church Hymnal; and in 1872 was associated with the Rev. Benjamin Webb, Prebendary of St. Paul's, in the editorship of The Hymnary. For that collection he translated and composed several hymns, his signature in some cases being "A.C.C.," i.e., "A Canon of Chester."

Canon Cooke died on November 23, 1894, according to John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology.