Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us,
tender.
Psalm 25:6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Isaiah 63:7,15 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses…
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
day-spring.
Numbers 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Zechariah 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
by which the Dawn will visit us from on high
The imagery of "Dawn" signifies the coming of a new era or light breaking into darkness, which is a powerful metaphor for the arrival of Jesus Christ. This connects to prophecies such as Isaiah 9:2, which speaks of a great light shining on those living in darkness. The "Dawn" is a messianic title, indicating the arrival of the Messiah who brings spiritual illumination and salvation. The phrase "from on high" suggests divine origin, reinforcing the belief that Jesus is both fully God and fully man, sent from heaven to fulfill God's redemptive plan. This visitation is reminiscent of the "Dayspring" or "Rising Sun" mentioned in other translations, symbolizing hope, renewal, and the fulfillment of God's promises.
• Luke couches the entire promise of redemption in God’s own character. Salvation flows not from human worthiness but from “the tender mercy of our God.”
• Scripture consistently ties redemption to divine compassion. Psalm 103:8 reminds us, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious,” and Titus 3:5 echoes that we are saved “according to His mercy.”
• This mercy is not abstract; it is deeply personal and active. Ephesians 2:4–5 says that God, “being rich in mercy,” made us alive with Christ. Zechariah’s prophecy therefore grounds the coming Messiah in a love that has always moved God toward His people.
• “The Dawn” (or “Dayspring,” v. 79) is a poetic title for Jesus. Malachi 4:2 foretells, “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings,” and Revelation 22:16 names Him “the bright Morning Star.”
• The phrase “from on high” underscores that this Light is not generated on earth; it comes down from heaven. John 1:9 calls Jesus “the true Light who gives light to every man,” while John 3:13 insists that the Son “came down from heaven.”
• Dawn signals the end of night. Isaiah 9:2 promises, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light,” fulfilled when Christ entered the world. 2 Peter 1:19 urges believers to hold to the prophetic word “until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.”
• Practically, the Dawn dispels spiritual darkness—sin, fear, and death. Colossians 1:13 celebrates our rescue “from the dominion of darkness,” made possible because the Light has truly visited us.
Luke 1:78 proclaims that God’s own tender mercy has moved Him to send Jesus, the heavenly Dawn, into our darkness. The verse ties the Messiah’s arrival to God’s compassionate nature and pictures Christ as the sunrise that ends the night of sin and death. We can therefore rest assured that our salvation is both divinely initiated and perfectly accomplished, shining everlasting light into every heart that turns toward Him.
(78) Through the tender mercy.--Literally, on account of the bowels of mercy of our God. After this manner the Jews spoke of what we should call "the heart" of God. The word was a favourite one with St. Paul, as in the Greek of 2Corinthians 7:15; Philippians 1:8, Php_2:1; Colossians 3:12. The pity that moved the heart of God is thought of, not as the instrument through which, but that on account of which, the work of the Baptist was to be accomplished.The dayspring from on high.--The English word expresses the force of the Greek very beautifully. The dawn is seen in the East rising upward, breaking through the darkness. We must remember, however, that the word had acquired another specially Messianic association, through its use in the LXX. version as the equivalent for the "Branch," "that which springs upward," of Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8. Here the thought of the sunrise is prominent, and it connects itself with such predictions as, "The glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1), "The sun of righteousness shall rise" (Malachi 4:2). What had become a Messianic name is taken in its primary sense, and turned into a parable. . . .
Verse 78. - Through the tender mercy of our God. And, goes on Zacharias in his noble hymn, all this tender care for Israel (but really for mankind, though perhaps the speaker of the hymn scarcely guessed it) is owing to the deep love of God. Whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us. The beautiful imagery here is derived from the magnificence of an Eastern sunrise. In his temple service at Jerusalem the priest must have seen the ruddy dawn rise grandly over the dark chain of the distant mountains, and lighting up with a blaze of golden glory the everlasting hills as they stood round about Jerusalem. The thought which pictured the advent of Messiah as a sunrise was a favorite one with the prophets. We see it in such prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi as, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold... Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of the; rising" (Isaiah 60:1-3). "Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (Malachi 4:2).