The O Antiphons:
20 DecemberO Clavis David
ENGLISH: O Key of David, and
scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens:
come, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the
shadow of death.
Listen to this chant from the Liber Usualis: mp3
Also, the schola of the North American College in Rome (a bit
faint): mp3.
Scripture Reference:
Isaiah 22:22
Revelation 3:7
Relevant verse of Veni, Veni Emmanuel:
O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
The version from the Dominican antiphonarium:
ENGLISH: O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: come, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.
O Antiphons: 19 December - O Jesse Radix (ENGLISH: O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: come, to deliver us, and tarry not.)
What urgency there is this antiphon. Something that lies below the earth (a root) stands high unto the heavens like a banner! Vexilia Regis Prodeunt we sing in Lent... what is a little root during Advent becomes by Lent the Tree of our salvation. Isaiah 11:10 gives us imagery for our reflection today. The great prophet of Advent tells us that the kingdom of David would be destroyed, but not entirely destroyed. A root would remain. Jesse is David's father. David is Jesse's root. David leads to Christ. After the destruction there remains a root. No matter what the exigencies of life present to us or how turbulent the vicissitudes of the passing world may be, when we cling to the root we are sure to be victorious in the end.