BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath
visited and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the
house of his servant David;
As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, * which
have been since the world began;
That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from
the hand of all that hate us.
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and
to remember his holy covenant;
To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather
Abraham, * that he would give us;
That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies
* might serve him without fear;
In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days
of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the
Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to
prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the
remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the
day-spring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the
shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of
peace.