20 December – O Clavis David

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
cf Isaiah 22.22; 42.7

Veni, Clavis Davidica, regna reclude caelica,
fac iter tutum superum, et claude vias inferum.
O come, thou key of David, come
and open wide our heav’nly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
Gaude! Gaude! Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!