O Come, Divine Messiah

This past Sunday marked the beginning of Advent, a joyful season of penance and preparation that is also characterized by certain musical changes. In addition to a silent organ during three of the next four Sundays, we also hear hymns that speak of preparing one’s heart for the coming Messiah. One such hymn is “O Come, Divine Messiah,” which was originally written by a 16th century French priest, Abbé Simon J. Pellegrin.

There are several different translations of the hymn. The original French lyrics are very different from the words that we are accustomed to hearing in America. The original hymn was much more apocalyptic, perhaps drawing from the Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Advent in the traditional missal. The original French lyrics and a more literal translation can be found in the footnote below.¹

Some sources claim that the original meaning of the hymn was diluted in recent decades; however, I found a 1907 Sunday school hymnal that contains the same verses and refrain that we typically hear today. Thus it seems that the modern lyrics may be a less intense rendition for schoolchildren, like the Baltimore Catechism’s Act of Contrition. The new hymn still evokes a sense of awe at the coming of Christ; however, it is less intense than the original, contrasting Christ’s humble birth with the majesty of His Second Coming.

School hymnals were very common in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and these hymnals often contained different melodies or lyrics than the modern listener is accustomed to. Thus it seems that this version of “O Come, Divine Messiah” does not necessarily have modernist roots but was instead adapted as a way for young children to raise their voices in beautiful adoration of their coming King.

Below are the three verses of “O Come, Divine Messiah” found in the 1907 Sunday School Hymn Book. These are the verses heard in the video below, performed by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. Please note that during this time, the title and titular line was written “Come, O Divine Messiah” rather than the familiar “O Come, Divine Messiah” that we know today. However, they are one and the same hymn, and the verses are the same that Catholic schoolchildren sang over a century ago.

O come, divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Sweet Savior, haste! Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show Thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing of triumph,
And sadness flee away.

Thou’lt come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will Thy cradle be,
All veiled in human weakness,
Thy majesty we’ll see.
Sweet Savior, haste! Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show Thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing of triumph,
And sadness flee away.

O Thou Whom nations sighed for,
Whom seer and prophet long foretold,
Wilt break the captive’s fetters,
Redeem the long lost fold.
Sweet Savior, haste! Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show Thy face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing of triumph,
And sadness flee away.

1. French lyrics
Refrain:
Venez Divin Messie
Sauvez nos jours infortunés,
Venez source de Vie
Venez, venez, venez! (Verses)

Verses:
1. Ah. Descendez, hâtez Vos pas;
Sauvez les hommes du trépas,
Secourez-nous, ne tardez pas.
Dans une peine extrême,
Gémissent nos cœurs affligés.
Venez Bonté Suprême,
Venez, venez, venez. (Refrain)

2. Ah. Désarmez Votre courroux,
Nous soupirons à Vos genoux,
Seigneur nous n'espérons qu'en Vous,
Pour nous livrer la guerre,
Tous les enfers sont déchaînés;
Descendez sur la terre,
Venez, venez, venez. (Refrain)

3. Que nos soupirs soient entendus,
Les biens que nous avons perdus,
Ne nous seront-ils point rendus?
Voyez couler nos larmes;
Grand Dieu, si Vous nous pardonnez,
Nous n'aurons plus d'alarmes,
Venez, venez, venez. (Refrain)

4. Si Vous venez en ces bas-lieux,
Nous Vous verrons victorieux,
Fermer l'enfer, ouvrir les cieux.
Nous l'espérons sans cesse,
Les cieux nous furent destinés,
Tenez votre promesse,
Venez, venez, venez. (Refrain)

5. Ah. Puissions-nous chanter un jour,
Dans votre bienheureuse cour,
Et Votre gloire et Votre amour.
C'est là l'heureux présage,
De ceux que Vous prédestinez,
Donnez-nous en un gage,
Venez, venez, venez. (Refrain)

English translation:
Refrain:
Come Divine Messiah,
Save our unfortunate days,
Come, source of Life,
Come, come, come. (Verses)

Verses:
1. Ah. Descend, hasten Thy steps;
Save mankind from death,
Rescue us, do not delay.
In an extreme pain
Our afflicted hearts groan.
Come Supreme Goodness,
Come, come, come. (Refrain)

2. Ah. Subdue Thy wrath,
We sigh at Thy knees,
Lord we hope only in Thee,
To deliver to us the war,
All Hell is unleashed;
Descend to earth,
Come, come, come. (Refrain)

3. May our sighs be heard,
The good that we have lost,
Will it not be returned to us?
See our tears streaming;
Great God, if Thou will forgive us,
We will have no more dismay,
Come, come, come. (Refrain)

4. If Thou will come to these low places,
We will see Thee victorious,
Closing Hell, opening Heaven,
We hope for it unceasingly,
Heaven was destined for us,
Keep Thy promise,
Come, come, come. (Refrain)

5. Ah. May we sing one day,
In Thy blessed court,
Both Thy glory and Thy love.
This is the happy presage
Of Thy presdestined ones,
Give us a pledge,
Come, come, come. (Refrain)

(Source: Tradition in Action. Please note that this website inaccurately portrays the history of this wonderful Advent hymn, claiming that the changes to the text resulted during postconciliar modernism.)