Canticle of Zechariah

<p><strong>For the people of Isreal</strong></p> <p>I memorized this prayer last summer when our church had a competition for the Feast of St John.  We have this big bonanza- bon fire, dunk tank, live music, food (locusts and honey), and fellowship.  It's fun times on the longest day of the year!  </p> <p>Since we've moved to the lake my mornning routine looks a bit different.  We have a well so every morning I have to fill our 5 gallon water filter resevoir.  I decided early on to couple this daily routine with prayer and I figured the Canticle of Zechariah would be good.  As water pours out from the faucet and into the pitcher that I will then carry and dump into the filter the words begin almost automatically.  But this morning I listened a bit differently.</p> <p>As I prayed it this morning I wondered..."what would the Jews think of these words as they sit litereally in the darkness of death's shadow."</p> <p><em>Blessed be the Lord, the God of Isreal</em></p> <p><em>for he has visted and brought</em></p> <p><em>redemption to his people</em></p> <p><em>He has raised up a horn of salvation </em></p> <p><em>from within the house of David, his servent</em></p> <p><em>as he promised through the mouths</em></p> <p><em>of his holy prophets from of old</em></p> <p><em>salvation from our enemies </em></p> <p><em>and freedom from those who hate us,</em></p> <p><em>to show mercy to our fathers,</em></p> <p><em>and to be mindful of his holy covenant</em></p> <p><em>and to the oath he swore to Abraham our father</em></p> <p><em>to grant us that free from our enemies</em></p> <p><em>we might worship him without fear</em></p> <p><em>in holiness and righteousness before him all our days</em></p> <p><em>And you my child shall be called a prophet of the Most High</em></p> <p><em>for you will go before the Lord and prepare his ways</em></p> <p><em>and bring his people knowledge of salvation</em></p> <p><em>through the forgiveness of their sins</em></p> <p><em>through the tender mercy of our God</em></p> <p><em>the dawn from on