Metrical O antiphons

I love, love, love the Advent O antiphons. But the traditional chants are not suitable for congregational use and the texts are quite long for unison speech, especially if you're saying them either side of a spoken Magnificat. 

Solution: write a metrical version (yes, I know O come O come Emmanuel exists, but it doesn't have all the antiphons and it's a metrical translation of the Latin texts. This is a metrical version of the Common Worship texts.) Suitable, I hope, to sing one verse either side of a spoken Magnificat at Evening Prayer in a parish church or similar.


Tune: Come thou redeemer of the earth (or any LM tune you know)


O holy Wisdom from the height

Whom God first spoke, who rules in might

O sweetly order every land

O teach us prudence at thy hand.


O Adonai, the Holy Name,

Revealed to Moses in the flame

O Law-giver, O Israel's Balm,

O save us, Lord, stretch out thine arm.


O Root of Jesse, standing proud,

A sign to make kings weep aloud

To whom the nations humbly pray:

O come, O save, do not delay.


O Key of David, open wide

the prison, set free those inside,

the door thou op'nest none can seal -

O lead thy waiting ones to heal.


O Morning Star, O Light of Light,

O Sun, O Justice, Splendour bright,

O bring thy Day to dawn afresh

O come to all who dwell in death.


O King of Nations, our Desire

Creator and Creation's fire

O Cornerstone of Unity

Save thy creation, make us free.


O God with us, Emmanuel,

Come to this aching world to dwell

Our hope, our life, our strength, our stay

Come now, come soon, come Child, come Day.



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