The last turn in the song celebrates the faithfulness of God to His ancient promises, and His help by His Messiah to Israel. The designation of Israel as 'His servant' recalls the familiar name in Isaiah's later prophecies. Mary sees in the great wonder of her Son's birth the accomplishment of the hopes of ages, and an assurance of God's mercy as for ever the portion of the people. We cannot tell how far she had learned that Israel was to be counted, not by descent but disposition. But, in any case, her eyes could not have embraced the solemn facts of her Son's rejection by His and her people. No shadows are yet cast across the morning of which her song is the herald. She knew not the dark clouds of thunder and destruction that were to sweep over the sky. But the end has not yet come, and we have to believe still that the evening will fulfil the promise of the morning, and 'all Israel shall be saved,' and that the mercy which was promised from of old to Abraham and the fathers, shall be fulfilled at last and abide with their seed for ever.

ZACHARIAS'S HYMN

'And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy
Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68. Blessed be the Lord
God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His
people, 69. And hath raised up an horn of salvation
for us in the house of His servant David; 70. As He
spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have
been since the world began; 71. That we should be
saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that
hate us; 72. To perform the mercy promised to our
fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, 73. The
oath which He sware to our father Abraham, 74. That He
would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of
the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,
75. In holiness and righteousness before Him, all the
days of our life. 76. 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; 77. To give
knowledge of salvation unto His people, by the
remission of their sins, 78. Through the tender mercy
of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath
visited us, 79. To give light to them that sit in
darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet
into the way of peace. 80. And the child grew, and
waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the
day of his shewing unto Israel.'--LUKE i. 67-80.