And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath exulted in God my Saviour: read more. for he hath looked upon the lowly state of his maid-servant: for, lo! henceforth shall all generations pronounce me blessed. For the Mighty One hath done great things for me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is upon those who fear him, from generation to generation. He hath displayed strength from his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath cast down potentates from the throne, and hath exalted the lowly. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath succoured Israel his servant, that he might be mindful of mercy for ever; as he had spoken to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed.

Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; for he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people; and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David: read more. as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been from the beginning: even preservation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform mercy towards our fathers, and to remember his own holy covenant: the oath which he sware to Abraham our father, to give us, that we, secure from fear, rescued from the hands of our enemies, should serve him, in righteousness and holiness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give the knowledge of salvation to his people, by the remission of their sins, through the bowels of mercy of our God; with which he hath visited us, as the dawn of the morning from on high, to illumine those who sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace.

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,

Now dismiss thy servant, Lord, according to thy word, in peace;

And they sung a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereon; because thou hast been slaughtered, and hast redeemed us for God by thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;

And they sung the sacred ode of Moses the servant of the Lord, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, O King of saints.