 |
| "A rose blooming in winter," image created using Dall-E, OpenAI, 2024. |
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
as those of old have sung.
It came, a flow’ret bright,
amid the cold of winter,
when half spent was the night.
A familiar and beloved Advent hymn, "Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming," originated in 15th-century Germany as the carol Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. It was later translated into English by Theodore Baker in 1894. British hymn translator Catherine Winkworth translated the first two verses as “A Spotless Rose.” The hymn is most commonly sung to a melody harmonized by German composer Michael Praetorius in 1609.
The hymn’s imagery of a blooming rose symbolizes the Virgin Mary and describes the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit,” foretelling the birth of Jesus. These references to a rose or branch signify the Messiah’s royal lineage and His descent from Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David.
The hymn reflects the Advent themes of hope and renewal. The rose growing amid the cold of winter serves as a metaphor for Christ’s arrival in a world darkened by sin. The verses describe the miraculous birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary, emphasizing the divine intervention that brought salvation to humanity (Luke 1:30-35).
Sources:
- History of Hymns: "History of Hymns: Hymn presents Savior as "rose e'er blooming," (UM Hymnal 216), Discipleship Ministries (https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-hymn-presents-savior-as-rose-eer-blooming).
- "Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming," The Hymns and Carols of Christmas (https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/Notes_On_Carols/lo_how_a_rose_eer_blooming.htm).
- “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Es_ist_ein_Ros_entsprungen).
