The Army and Navy Hymnal/Readings/The Nativity
SELECTION 34
THE NATIVITY
MAGNIFICAT
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid:
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is unto generations and generations on them that fear him.
He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
He hath put down princes from their thrones, and hath exalted them of low degree.
The hungry he hath filled with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath given help to Israel his servant, that he might remember mercy,
As he spake unto our fathers, toward Abraham and his seed for ever.
BENEDICTUS
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,
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old,
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
To show mercy towards our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, to grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies
Should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High:
For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people in the remission of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
Whereby the day spring from on high shall visit us,
To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death;
To guide our feet into the way of peace.