I. The Hymn Story
BASED ON THE SEVEN GREAT "O" ANTIPHONS OF THE 8TH CENTURY CHANT PERIOD

O SAPIENTIA... (Wisdom from on high)
O ADONAI... (Lord and leader of the house of Israel)
O RADIX... (Root of Jesse)
O CLAVIS... (Key of David)
O ORIENS... (Dayspring, splendor of enternal light)
O REX... (Longed for King of the nations)
O EMMANUEL... (God With us, our king and lawgiver)

- Verses form the reverse acrostic "ero cras", meaning "I shall be with you tomorrow"
- Translated and arranged by John Mason Neale in 1851
- Neale used 5 of the 7 original verses and made the last verse first.

II. Lyrical content and Biblical depth
O Come Emmanuel Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23
O Come Lord of Might Exodus 19:16, Micah 5:2
O Come thou Rod of Jesse Isaiah 11:10
O Come thou Dayspring Micah 5:1,2, Luke 1:78,79
O Come thou Key of David Isaiah 22:22

III. Application for us
- There is great value in knowing the Old Testament well
- We need to be "ransomed" from the penalty and power of sin
- Our Savior is totally sufficient to rescue us!