ZECHARIAH’S SONG OF PRAISE

Luke 1:67-80 / Keywords 1:68

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.

 

Zechariah’s Song

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

69 He has raised up a horn[c] of salvation for us

    in the house of his servant David

70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),

71 salvation from our enemies

    and from the hand of all who hate us—

72 to show mercy to our ancestors

    and to remember his holy covenant,

73     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,

    and to enable us to serve him without fear

75     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation

    through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,

    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79 to shine on those living in darkness

    and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit[d]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Footnotes

c. Luke 1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king.

d. Luke 1:80 Or in the Spirit

1. When Zechariah could speak again, it was through the Holy Spirit. He saw what God had already done. He has come to redeem his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for them as he promised. He was faithful to his word through the prophets to raise up David’s descendant as king, and he was faithful to the covenant he made with the patriarchs. When Zechariah saw the birth of his son, John, the Holy Spirit gave him prophetic insight to see and speak of the fulfillment of God’s history, who has redeemed us from a hopeless world to the hope of eternal salvation.

 

2. In this context, Zechariah could speak of his son. He would serve the purpose of the Most High. He would prepare the people to hear and believe and accept the salvation provided to them, to know God’s tender mercy and the light of life. God was pouring out his mercy. From childhood, John would grow as a servant to guide God’s people in the path of peace—to proclaim his salvation.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Bless me with your Spirit, that I may proclaim your salvation work with assurance.

One Word He has redeemed his people