that mourns in lonely exile here

Refugees.  That's what this line makes me think of today.  Jesus became a refugee when Herod orchestrated his terrible reign-stability plan.  God's people were refugees in Egypt.  My Cherokee ancestors were refugees, expelled from their homeland in the American southeast.  My Norwegian great-grandmother was an economic refugee.  These people emigrated not because they wanted to, but because they had to.  All of these made new lives elsewhere (and Jesus' family eventually returned), but I'm sure all mourned the loss of family, culture, and place.

"Rejoice; rejoice; Emanuel shall ransom captive Israel."

Emanuel will ransom refugees.  God is with those who are in exile.

I want to be where God is.