O Radix Jesse – O Root of Jesse Antiphon for December 19

Today’s O Antiphon:

O Radix Jesse – O Root of Jesse

This Antiphon is a personal favorite. I think of this as we hike Glacier Park each summer. My camera is always at the ready looking for unusual stumps to photograph.  Stumps are found in a variety of places. Trees, like weeds, often take root in rocks and crevasses. It often fills one with wonder on how a tree grows in such places. Some trees prosper in these rocky homes. Others may grow for a while before being torn apart by wind, storms, snow, fire or other forces of nature.

Once a tree is torn down and becomes a stump, it may die completely like the one in the photo above. Other stumps show signs of life struggling to burst forth from the roots.

The verses for today are below.

Latin Verse:

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,

super quem continebunt reges os suum,

quem Gentes deprecabuntur:

veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

English Translation:

O Root of Jesse,

standing as a sign among the peoples;

before you kings will shut their mouths,

to you the nations will make their prayer:

Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

The prophecies are found in Isaiah 11:1

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

 and Isaiah 11:10

On that day the rod of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Jesse was the father of King David, and the prophet Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall

come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2

Other scripture verses include Isaiah 45:14, Isaiah 52: 15 and Romans 15: 12.

For’ those that have been following along with the O Antiphons for the past few days, we are going to add one additional item for your contemplation. We are all familiar with the beloved Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” But how many of us know that this hymn also has verses for each of the O Antiphons? The hymn is based on the seven ancient antiphons that we are enjoying. The texts were translated by John Mason Neale (1818-66) into the verses used for the hymn sung to the tune Veni Emmanuel and are in the public domain.  Here are the Great O Antiphon hymn verses to date:

December 17:

O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth

of the Most High, pervading and

Permeating all creation, mightily

ordering | all things:*

Come and teach us the way

of | prudence.

December 18:

O Adonai and ruler of the house of

Israel, who appeared to Moses in

the burning bush and gave him the

Law on | Sinai:*

Come with an outstretched arm

and re- | deem us.

December 19:

O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign

before the peoples, before whom all

kings are mute, to whom the nations

will do | homage:*

Come quickly to de- | liver us.

For those in the LCMS, this is hymn 357 from the Lutheran Service Book. For those of different faiths, please check your hymnals for O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and enjoy the Great “O” Antiphons sung as a hymn.

Soli Deo Gloria

God’s Word from the Prophet proclaims that from his roots a branch will bear fruit. This verse was the inspiration for the design which is part of our great O’Antiphon and City of David Church Vestment Collection created by Ecclesiastical Sewing.

The Radix Jesse Design is available on custom created church vestments and altar hangings as well as a machine embroidery design for those who wish to create their own items. The design can be a shoot or a flowering branch with the Messianic Rose.

For more information please contact us at Ecclesiastical Sewing.