O Wisdom, Who O'er Earth Below

Version 2

For Advent

Words: Veni, Veni, Emanuel (the "O" Antiphons),
Authorship Unknown, 8th Century Latin;
Published As A Hymn in Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, 7^th Edition, Köln, 1710.

Translation: William Cooke (1821-1894), 1853, from the Latin Veni, Veni, Emanuel,
relying heavily on Neale's 1851 translation in Medieval Hymns.

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

See: Notes on Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

Source: Sir Arthur Sullivan, ed., Church Hymns With Tunes (London: SPCK, 1874), Hymn 74, pp. 54-55.

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

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-open 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 give 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 nigh 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 to "Benison," First Tune (German, 1707), #74a, and "Immanuel," by J. W. Elliott, Second Tune, #74b, from Sir Arthur Sullivan, ed., Church Hymns With Tunes (1885), pp. 54-55.

Editor's Notes:

See the notes under O Wisdom, Who O're Earth Below-Cooke (1853).

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