Now his father Zacharias was filled with Spirit bright, And prophesied in wonder, in the hush of holy night: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,” his glad voice did employ, “For He hath visited and redeemed His people with His joy. And He hath raised a horn of salvation, strong and sure, In house of His servant David—steadfast to endure; As He spoke by mouth of holy prophets, faithful, true, Who have been since the world began, and ever pointed through. That we should be saved from enemies that round about us press, And from the hand of all who hate us—He will not love us less; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers long before, And to remember His holy covenant—forevermore. The oath which He swore to father Abraham, sealed and sworn, To grant that we, delivered from our enemies’ scorn, Might serve Him without fear, with hearts made clean and wise, In holiness and righteousness before Him—’neath His eyes. All the days of all our life, in faithfulness we stand, For He hath loosed our trembling and upheld us by His hand; Then turning, he cried, “And you, child,” with tender warmth and breath, “Will be called prophet of the Highest—life before the death. For you will go before the face of Lord to make Him known, To prepare His ways in lowly paths where seeds of grace are sown; To give knowledge of salvation to His people, near and far, By the remission of their sins—like morning’s rising star. Through the tender mercy of our God, so gentle, deep, and high, With which the Dayspring from on high hath visited us nigh; To give light to those who sit in darkness, cold and dim, And in the shadow of death’s dread—until the dawn breaks in. To guide our feet into the way of peace, where sorrows cease, To lead us home by holy light, and teach our hearts His peace; So sing we now at Christmas, as the promised Day doth spring— The Lord hath come, hath visited—our Savior, Christ the King.
