O Come, Divine Messiah
[1] The lyrics are the work of Abbot Simon-Joseph Pellegrin in the first half of the 18th century, who composed for the attention of the young Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr at the Maison royale de Saint-Louis many verses on the songs of the old Christmases of France, in order to modernize the text.
The melody was also used by Marc-Antoine Charpentier for the offertory in his Messe de minuit pour Noël.
[2] Since the 19th century, a modern version of the text, considerably impoverished, and a 4-part harmonization written in 1845 by Abbé Lambert have been in use in Catholic communities in France.
Ô Fils de Dieu, ne tardez pas, Par votre Corps donnez la joie À notre monde en désarroi.
Le monde la dédaigne : Partout les cœurs sont divisés !
Quand vous viendrez au dernier jour Juger le monde sur l'amour, Que nous veillions pour ce retour !
Que votre main nous prenne Dans le Royaume des sauvés !
The world in silence waits the day When hope shall sing its triumph, And sadness flee away.
1, Dear Savior haste; Come, come to earth, Dispel the night and show your face, And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
The world in silence waits the day When hope shall sing its triumph, And sadness flee away.
O Christ, whom nations sigh for, Whom priest and prophet long foretold, Come break the captive fetters; Redeem the long-lost fold.
Dear Savior haste; Come, come to earth, Dispel the night and show your face, And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
Dear Savior haste; Come, come to earth, Dispel the night and show your face, And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
