O Radix Jesse — O Root of Jesse

O Radix Jesse is the O Antiphon sung before the Magnificat at Evening Prayer on December 19 — in 2026, Saturday, December 19. It is antiphon 3 of seven.

LatinO Radix Iesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

Our translationO Root of Jesse, who stand as a sign for the peoples, before whom kings will fall silent and whom the nations will implore: come and set us free; delay no longer.

A reflection

Jesse was David's father; by Isaiah's day the royal family tree looked like a stump. The promise is that life comes out of what everyone had given up on. It is the first antiphon with impatience in it: noli tardare, do not delay.

Where the words come from

Every phrase of the antiphon is drawn from Scripture. These are the main sources, quoted from the World English Bible:

Isaiah 11:10 (WEB)It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious.

Isaiah 52:15 (WEB)so he will cleanse many nations. Kings will shut their mouths at him; for they will see that which had not been told them, and they will understand that which they had not heard.

In the hymn

The verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861) that paraphrases this antiphon:

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.

How to pray it

At Evening Prayer it frames the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), said before and after it. At home, say it at the Advent wreath before dinner, then sing the matching verse of the hymn. At Mass it is the Gospel acclamation for the day.

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O Radix Jesse: questions

What does O Radix Jesse mean?

O Root of Jesse. It is the O Antiphon for December 19: O Root of Jesse, who stand as a sign for the peoples, before whom kings will fall silent and whom the nations will implore: come and set us free; delay no longer.

When is O Radix Jesse prayed in 2026?

On Saturday, December 19, 2026, as the antiphon before the Magnificat at Evening Prayer.

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