“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zacharias blesses God not just for promising redemption, but for God actively "visiting" his people, which signifies God's direct, compassionate attention and intervention. The word for "redeemed" literally means "made a ransom for," highlighting that God didn't just declare His people free, but actively paid the ultimate price for their liberation from sin's captivity.
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit after his son John's birth, breaks out in praise to God. This song, known as the Benedictus, celebrates God's faithfulness to His promises concerning Israel, especially the coming Messiah. He praises God for visiting and redeeming His people, an act that had been foretold by prophets since the beginning of time.
Has God ever felt distant or silent in your life? This verse speaks of a divine 'visit' that breaks through long seasons of waiting.
Zacharias praises God, calling Him the "Lord God of Israel," but then reveals a profound truth: God has "visited" His people. This isn't just a casual drop-in. In the Old Testament, God's 'visit' often meant stepping into a situation, observing it, and bringing deliverance or judgment. Here, in the context of redemption, it’s a deliberate act of grace.
Think about it: Israel had experienced centuries without the direct, visible presence of God in the same way they did during the Exodus. But now, with the conception of John the Baptist and the impending birth of the Messiah, God was actively intervening. This 'visit' signifies God looking upon His people with compassion, remembering His promises, and initiating a plan of salvation.
We often talk about salvation, but what does it truly mean to be 'redeemed'? This verse points to a profound transaction that secured our freedom.
The second key action Zacharias praises is that God 'redeemed' His people. The original language here speaks of making a 'ransom.' Imagine a prisoner of war who needs a price paid to be set free. That price is the ransom.
In this context, our 'captors' are sin and death, and the price required was immense. It wasn't gold or silver, but a perfect life given as an equivalent – a sacrifice that satisfies God's justice. This redemption is not merely a rescue; it's a re-acquisition, a reclaiming of what was lost. God, through the coming Messiah, is paying the ultimate price to liberate His people from bondage.
Understand the original words
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eulogētos · Greek Adjective
A declaration of God’s supreme worth and goodness, acknowledging Him as the source of all grace and the recipient of all glory.
episkeptomai · Greek Verb
God's gracious arrival or manifestation in human history, often to intervene, judge, or deliver; it denotes an intimate, life-changing encounter between God and His people.
lytroō · Greek Verb
To buy back or liberate from slavery, bondage, or sin through the payment of a ransom, signifying God’s work of freeing His people from the power of evil.
keras · Greek Noun
A metaphorical symbol of strength, royal power, authority, and ultimate victory, often representing a king or the Messiah as the source of deliverance.
sōtēria · Greek Noun
Deliverance from sin, death, and the judgment of God; the act of being rescued from the power and penalty of evil to enjoy eternal union with God.
Zechariah's praise isn't just about a baby; it’s echoing centuries of God's promises and His people's long wait for a Redeemer, particularly rooted in the covenant with David and the hope for deliverance from oppression.
~2000 BC
God's Covenant with Abraham
God established a foundational covenant with Abraham, promising to make him a great nation and bless all nations through his descendants.
~1446 BC
Exodus and Deliverance from Egypt
God 'visited' and 'redeemed' Israel from slavery in Egypt through Moses, a pivotal event that established their identity as God's chosen people.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
King David establishes a united monarchy, and God makes a covenant with him, promising that his descendant would rule forever. This lineage becomes central to messianic hope.
c. 597 BC - 586 BC
Babylonian Exile
The southern kingdom of Judah is conquered, and many Israelites are deported to Babylon. During this period, God's people felt abandoned, awaiting divine intervention and restoration.
c. 175 BC - 164 BC
Maccabean Revolt
A Jewish rebellion against Greek Seleucid rule sparked a period of renewed religious and national fervor, increasing anticipation for a divine deliverer.
c. 6 BC - 4 BC— this verse
Birth of Jesus
Jesus is born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph, fulfilling prophecies about a descendant of David who would bring salvation.
This passage describes God 'visiting' His people in Egypt during their oppression, mirroring Zacharias' praise for God's intervention and concern for His people.
Psalm 72:18This Old Testament psalm begins with a similar expression of blessing God for His actions toward His people, showing this was a familiar way to praise God's redemptive work.
Isaiah 53:5This prophecy speaks of the Suffering Servant being 'pierced for our transgressions' and 'crushed for our iniquities,' directly reflecting the concept of redemption by a ransom price that Zacharias praises.
Titus 2:14This New Testament passage explicitly states Christ 'gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people eager to do good,' directly echoing and expanding on Zacharias' words about redemption.
Jeremiah 30:9This prophecy speaks of God's people serving the Lord their God and David their king, whom God will 'raise up' for them, aligning with Zacharias' reference to a 'horn of salvation' raised up in the 'house of David'.
barnesLuke 1:68: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,"
Blessed - See the notes at Matthew 5:3 . Hath visited - The word here rendered "visited" means properly "to look upon;" then to look upon in order "to know the state of anyone;" then to visit for the purpose of "aiding those who need aid," or alleviating misery. Compare Matthew 25:43. In this sense it is used here. God "looked upon" the world - he saw it miserable - he came to relieve it, and brought sa…
cambridgeLuke 1:68: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,"
68 . Blessed ] This hymn of praise is hence called the Benedictus. It has been in use in Christian worship perhaps as far back as the days of St Benedict in the sixth century, and it was early recognised that it is the last Prophecy of the Old Dispensation, and the first of the New, and furnishes a kind of key to the evangelical interpretation of all prophecies. It is also a continual acknowledgment of…
Zacharias blesses God not just for promising redemption, but for God actively "visiting" his people, which signifies God's direct, compassionate attention and intervention. The word for "redeemed" literally means "made a ransom for," highlighting that God didn't just declare His people free, but actively paid the ultimate price for their liberation from sin's captivity.
Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit after his son John's birth, breaks out in praise to God. This song, known as the Benedictus, celebrates God's faithfulness to His promises concerning Israel, especially the coming Messiah. He praises God for visiting and redeeming His people, an act that had been foretold by prophets since the beginning of time.
Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit after his son John's birth, breaks out in praise to God. This song, known as the Benedictus, celebrates God's faithfulness to His promises concerning Israel, especially the coming Messiah. He praises God for visiting and redeeming His people, an act that had been foretold by prophets since the beginning of time.
"“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David," — Zacharias blesses God not just for promising redemption, but for God actively "visiting" his people, which signifies God's direct, compassionate attention and intervention. The word for "redeemed"…
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Last reviewed October 2026