Most of us are familiar with the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat, Mary's song of praise and joy at the forthcoming fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant with the birth of Jesus. Upon regaining his speech after the birth of John the Baptist, Zechariah, too, offers his own song of praise, the Benedictus, which begins, Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel.
The video above offers one sung version of this hymn of praise; a translation can be found below:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.
He has raised up a horn for our salvation
within the house of David his servant,
even as he promised through the mouth
of his holy prophets from of old:
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
to show mercy to our fathers
and to be mindful of his holy covenant
and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,
and to grant us that,
rescued from the hand of enemies,
without fear we might worship him
in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God
by which the daybreak on high will visit us
to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.
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