The inspired “song of Zacharias” (vs. 68-79), as it is often called, is sometimes called the Benedictus, “Blessed,” from its first word in the Latin Vulgate of v. 68. The reference in v. 64 to Zacharias‘ speaking and praising God probably anticipates these words. The song of Zacharias is priestly in tenor and appropriate to a son of Aaron, as the song of Mary is regal and appropriate to a daughter of David. The phrases suggest that Zacharias had spent the time preceding John‘s birth in diligent study of what the prophets had written of the Messiah and the work of His forerunner.

 The entire hymn is definitely Hebrew and Messianic in flavor. It is a song of praise to God, in anticipation of the imminent fulfillment of promises relating to the Messiah and to His kingdom. It is divided into two major sections, the first consisting of three strophes, or stanzas (vs. 68, 69, 70-72, 73-75), primarily concerned with the mission of the Messiah, and the second, of two strophes (vs. 76, 77, 78, 79) concerned with the work of the Messiah‘s forerunner. The content and phraseology of the hymn denote an intimate acquaintance with the OT Scriptures, particularly the prophets: v. 68 (Ps. 41:13; 72:18; 106:48), v. 69 (1 Sam. 2:10; Ps. 132:17), v. 71 (Ps. 23:5), v. 72 (Ps. 105:8; 106:45), v. 73 (Ex. 2:24; Ps. 105:9; Jer. 11:5; Micah 7:20), v. 76 (Mal. 3:1; cf. Isa. 40:3), v. 79 (Isa. 42:7; Ps. 107:10; cf. Isa. 9:1, 2). In addition to these more or less direct references there are many allusions to the OT.