The St. Louis Jesuits are a group of Catholic composers who popularized a c… Read Full Bio ↴The St. Louis Jesuits are a group of Catholic composers who popularized a contemporary style of church music through their compositions and recordings in the 1970s and 1980s. The group, made up of Jesuit scholastics at Saint Louis University, originally used acoustic guitars and pop-style melodies and rhythms to set Biblical and other religious texts to music sung in English in response to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
Without intent, a groundswell of popularity took place when students, seminarians, and women religious took stenciled mimeographed copies of their new music back to their communities where it became known as music by the "St. Louis Jesuits."

Emanuel
St. Louis Jesuits Lyrics

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Baby born in a stall, long ago now, and hard to recall.
Cold wind, darkness and sin, Your welcoming from us all.

How can it be true? A world grown so old now, how can it be new?
Sorrow′s end, God—send, born now for me and you.
Emanuel, Emanuel,
What are we that You have loved us so well?
A song on high, a Savior's nigh,

Angel hosts rejoice Thy glory to tell.
Babe on mother′s knee, child so soon to be nailed to a tree.
All praise till the end of our days: 0 Lord, You have set us free.
Emanuel, Emanuel,
What are we that You have loved us so well?

A song on high, a Savior's nigh,
Angel hosts rejoice Thy glory to tell.

Overall Meaning

The song "Emanuel" by St. Louis Jesuits captures the essence of the Christian belief that God sent his son Jesus Christ to save the world from sin. The song begins by painting a picture of the humble birth of Jesus Christ in a stall, as he was welcomed into the world amidst cold winds, darkness, and sin. The lyrics question how this could be true, that the world grown so old can still be made new, but then speak of the tremendous love of God that brings joy and hope to humanity. The chorus rejoices in the name of Emanuel, meaning "God is with us", and the song speaks of the admiration and praise that we owe to God for his sacrifice.

The second verse of the song focuses on how Jesus lived his life, from his infancy to his eventual death on the cross. The lyrics speak of how the innocent babe on his mother's knee was destined to be nailed to a tree, but that this sacrifice was necessary to set humanity free from the bondage of sin. The refrain repeats the chorus, calling on us to marvel at the love of God and celebrate the coming of Christ.

Overall, "Emanuel" is a beautiful song of thanks and praise to God, reminding us of the significance of Christ's birth and ultimate sacrifice. It speaks to the deep-seated belief that God loved humanity so much that he would send his only son to save us from ourselves.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby born in a stall, long ago now, and hard to recall.
A child was born in a humble place a long time ago, and it's difficult to remember all the details.

Cold wind, darkness and sin, Your welcoming from us all.
Despite the cold, dark and sinful conditions of the world, we welcome you.

How can it be true? A world grown so old now, how can it be new?
It's hard to believe that something new and miraculous can happen in a world that has aged and changed so much.

Sorrow′s end, God—send, born now for me and you.
The end to all our sorrows came with the birth of this divine gift, meant for each and every one of us.

Emanuel, Emanuel, What are we that You have loved us so well?
We are amazed and humbled that you love us so deeply and unconditionally.

A song on high, a Savior's nigh, Angel hosts rejoice Thy glory to tell.
Heavenly beings sing of your imminent arrival, and celebrate your glory.

Babe on mother′s knee, child so soon to be nailed to a tree.
The baby resting on his mother's lap will soon be crucified.

All praise till the end of our days: 0 Lord, You have set us free.
We will forever praise you, because you have given us the ultimate freedom.

Writer(s): Tim Manion

Contributed by Ryan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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