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Here observe, 1. That no sooner was Zacharias recovered and restored to his speech, but he sings the praises of his Redeemer, and offers up a thanksgiving to God; the best return we can make to God for the use of our tongues, for the giving or restoring of our speech, is to publish our Creator's praise, to plead his cause, and vindicate his honour.
Observe, 2. What it is that Zacharias makes the subject-matter of his song: what is the particular and special mercy which he praises and and blesses God for. It is not for his own particular and private mercy; namely, the recovery of his speech, though undoubtedly he was very thankful to God for that mercy; but he blesses and praises God for catholic and universal mercies bestowed upon his church and people: he doth not say, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that hath visited me in mercy, that hath once more loosed my tongue, and restored my speech: but, "Blessed be the Lord that hath visited and redeemed his people."
Whence learn, that it is both the duty and disposition of a gracious soul, to abound in praise and thankfulness to God, more for catholic and universal mercies towards the church of God, than for any particular and private mercies how great soever towards himself; "Blessed be God for visiting and redeeming his people."
Observe, 3. In this evangelical hymn there is a prophetical prediction, both concerning Christ, and concerning John. Concerning Christ, he declares, that God the Father had sent him of his free mercy and rich grace, yet in performance of his truth and faithfulness; and according to his promise and oath which he had made to Abraham, and the fathers of the Old Testament.
Where note, 1. He blesses God for the comprehensive blessing of the Messiah; "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited his people:" namely, in his Son's incarnation. The Lord Jesus Christ, in the fulness of time, made such a visit to this sinful world, as men and angels admired at, and will admire to all eternity.
Note, 2. The special fruit and benefit of this gracious and merciful visitation, and that was the redemption of a lost world, he hath visited and redeemed his people. This implies that miserable thraldom and bondage, which we were under to sin and Satan, and expresses the stupendous love of Christ, in buying our lives with his dearest blood; and both by price and power rescuing us out of the hands of our spiritual enemies.
Note, 3. The character given of this Saviour and Redeemer; he is a horn of salvation; that is, a royal and glorious, a strong and powerful Saviour to his church and people. The horn, in scripture, signifies glory and dignity, strength and power; as the beauty, so the strength of the beast lies in its horn: now Christ being styled a horn of salvation, intimates, that he himself is a royal and princely Saviour, and that the salvation which he brings, is great and plentiful, glorious and powerful; "God hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David."
Note, 4. The nature and quality of that salvation and deliverance, which the Son of God came to accomplish for us; not a temporal deliverance, as the Jews expected, from the power of the Romans; but spiritual, from the hands of sin and Satan, death and hell: his design was to purchase a spiritual freedom and liberty for us, "that we might be enabled to serve him without fear;" that is, without the servile and offending fear of a slave, but with the dutiful and ingenuous fear of a child: and this in "holiness and righteousness;" that is, in the duties of the first and second table, "all the days of our life."
Learn hence, that believers, who were slaves of Satan, are by Christ made God's free men.
Secondly, that as such, they owe God a service, a willing, cheerful, and delightful service, without fear; and a constant, persevering service all the days of their life, that "we being delivered out of the hands, &c."
Note, 5. The source and fountain from whence this glorious Saviour and gracious salvation did arise and spring; namely, from the mercy and faithfulness of God; "To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham."
Learn hence, that the Lord Jesus Christ, the mercy of mercies, was graciously promised, and faithfully performed, by God to his church and people. Christ was a free and full mercy; a suitable, unsearchable, and everlasting mercy; which God graciously promised in the beginning of time, and faithfully performed in the fulness of time. Thus far this hymn of Zacharias respects the Messiah.
Observe, 4. How he next turns himself to his child, and prophesies concerning him: "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, &c."
Where note, 1. The nature of his office, "thou shalt be a prophet;" not a common and ordinary one, but a prophet of the highest rank; the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. A prophet thou shalt be, annd more than a prophet.
Note, 2. As the nature of his office, so the quality of his work: "Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his way:" thou shalt be an herald and harbinger to the Most High; thou shalt go before the face of the Messias, and by thy severe reproofs, and powerful exhortations, shalt prepare his way before him, and make men fit and ready to receive this mighty Saviour. Thou, child, shalt be as the morning star, to foretell the glorious arising of this Sun of Righteousness.
Learn hence, 1. That it is the highest honour and dignity to serve Christ in the quality and relation of a prophet.
2. That it is the office and duty of the prophets of Christ, to prepare and make fit the hearts of men, to receive and embrace him.
Observe, 5. That Zacharias having spoken a few words concerning his son, he returns instantly to celebrate the praises of our Saviour, comparing him to the rising sun, which shined forth in the brightness of his gospel, to enlighten the dark corners of the world: "Through the tender mercies of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness."
Learn hence, 1. That Jesus Christ is that true Sun of Righteousness, which in the fulness of time did spring from on high to visit a lost and undone world.
2. That the great errand of Christ's coming into the world, and the particular end of his appearing in the flesh, was "to give light to them that sit in darkness."
3. That it was nothing less than infinite mercy, and bowels of compassion in God and Christ, which inclined him to come from on high, to visit them that sit in darkness: "Through the tender bowels of mercy in our God, whereby his own and only son sprung from on high to visit us here below, who sat in darkness and the shadow of death; and to guide our feet unto the way that leads to everlasting peace."