Benedictus Deus Israel

General Information

The canticle sung at Lauds, also called the Song of Zechariah or Canticle of Zachary. This text comes from Luke:1 vv. 68-79. It was the first thing Zechariah spoke after being mute since he doubted the angel Gabriel's promise that Elizabeth would have a son. The first part of the text (v. 68-75) recalls the promise of the Lord to redeem the Jewish nation. The second part directly addresses John who will take part in the fulfillment of that promise by "preparing the way for him".

In the Anglican Rite it is the second of two canticles sung at Morning Prayer.

Settings by composers

Settings in Latin

Fabrizio Dentice for feria 5. SATTB (odd verses with antiphon "Traditor autem", for feria 6. & sabbato as well) Giovanni Guidetti SATB (3 versions of v. 1) Jacob Handl SATB Orlando di Lasso SSAT.SATTB Antonio Lotti SATB Tiburtio Massaino Feria V (SATTB) Feria VI (SATTB) In Sabbato Sancto (SATTB) Claudio Merulo SATTBrBrBrB

José Maurício Nunes Garcia (both with organ continuo) I SATB (even verses) II SATB (even verses) Diego Ortiz SATB Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina a 4 SATB a 5 SATTB (SAATTB at end) Josef Rheinberger SATTB (bilingual, with alternate "Auserkoren bist du") Juan Vasquez SATB Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB (for Holy Thursday)

Settings in English

Elway Bevin in D minor SAATB & bc (BCP) William Byrd in D minor SATB dec. and can., with sections for SATTB and SAATB. (BCP) Thomas Causton Morning Service SATB (BCP) George Whitefield Chadwick SATB & organ (BCP) Edward Elgar Op. 34, No. 2 SATB div. & organ (BCP) Richard Farrant in G minor SATB.SATB basso seguente (BCP) Orlando Gibbons 'Short Service' SATB (BCP) John Goss in A SATB & organ (BCP)

Robert Parsons from The First Service SATB.SATB (BCP) from The Second 'Excellent' Service for Means SSATB (BCP) Henry Purcell in B flat, Z 230/2 SSATB & bc. Kathryn Rose SATB & colla parte band (BCP) Charles Villiers Stanford in B flat, Op. 10, No. 3 SATB & organ (BCP) Thomas Tallis SATB (BCP) Thomas Tomkins First Service SATB (can. & dec., with doubling pars organicus) Charles Wood in A flat SATB & organ (BCP)

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Ruggerio Argilliano — Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel
• Giovanni Croce — Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel
• C. A. Havens — Benedictus in a Flat
• Antonio Mogavero — Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)
• John Mundy — Service for Men in 3 parts
• Nathaniel Patrick — Benedictus
• Thomas Tomkins — Morning Canticles from The First Service
• Bartolomeo Tromboncino — Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel
• John Ebenezer West — Te Deum and Benedictus in E flat

Text

Latin text Vulgate Benedictus [Dominus] Deus Israhel quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebi suae et erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo David pueri sui sicut locutus est per os sanctorum qui a saeculo sunt prophetarum eius salutem ex inimicis nostris et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris et memorari testamenti sui sancti iusiurandum quod iuravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum daturum se nobis ut sine timore de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati serviamus illi in sanctitate et iustitia coram ipso omnibus diebus nostris et tu puer propheta Altissimi vocaberis praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias eius ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi eius in remissionem peccatorum eorum per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitavit nos oriens ex alto illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis puer autem crescebat et confortabatur spiritu et erat in deserto usque in diem ostensionis suae ad Israhel

English translation Douai-Challoner Bible Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant: As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning: Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us: To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament, The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us, That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear, In holiness and justice before him, all our days. 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: To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins: Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.

English text Book of Common Prayer BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel : for he hath visited and redeemed his people; And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us : in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets : which have been since the world began; That we should be saved from our enemies : and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers : and to remember his holy Covenant; To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham : that he would give us; That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies : might serve him without fear; In holiness and righteousness before him : all the days of our life. 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; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people : for the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God : whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death : and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.

English text Common Worship Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel who has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets God promised of old to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all that hate us, To show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of all their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Vietnamese translation Chúc tụng Đức Chúa là Thiên Chúa Ítraen, Đã viếng thăm cứu chuộc dân Người. Từ dòng dõi trung thần Đavít, Người đã cho xuất hiện Vị Cứu Tinh quyền thế để giúp ta. Như Người đã dùng miệng các vị thánh ngôn sứ Mà phán hứa tự ngàn xưa: Sẽ cứu ta thoát khỏi địch thù, Thoát tay mọi kẻ hằng ghen ghét; Sẽ trọn bề nhân nghĩa với tổ tiên Và nhớ lại lời xưa giao ước; Chúa đã thề với tổ phụ Ápraham Rằng sẽ giải phóng ta khỏi tay địch thù, Và cho ta chẳng còn sợ hãi, Để ta sống thánh thiện công chính trước nhan Người, Mà phụng thờ Người suốt cả đời ta. Hài nhi hỡi, con sẽ mang tước hiệu là ngôn sứ của Đấng Tối Cao: Con sẽ đi trước Chúa, mở lối cho Người, Bảo cho Dân Chúa biết: Người sẽ cứu độ Là tha cho họ hết mọi tội khiên. Thiên Chúa ta đầy lòng trắc ẩn, Cho Vầng Đông tự chốn cao vời viếng thăm ta, Soi sáng những ai ngồi nơi tăm tối Và trong bóng tử thần, dẫn ta bước vào đường nẻo bình an. Translation by Nhóm Phiên Dịch Các Giờ Kinh Phụng Vụ from ktcgkpv.org   External links IPASource.com: Link to PDF file with IPA pronunciation and word-by-word translation.