Latin for “blessed,” it refers to the song of the praise of Zechariah at the birth of his son, John the Baptist.
It is found in Luke 1:68–79 and begins “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people” (KJV).
The Benedictus, like the other songs of praise in Luke’s gospel, has been widely used in worship and often set to music.
