Lessons which declare the great acts of Creation, Providence, and Government by God sometimes contain but remote reference to the Redeeming work of Christ: and for such Lessons another Canticle is provided, viz. _Benedicte omnia Opera_ (_Bless ye all works_) for the morning, and _Cantate Domino_ (_O sing unto the Lord_) for the evening. Magnificat. Jesus is known to us as the Son of Man: hence His people can use the words of the Blessed Virgin. When she looked forward to His coming, she used words which we can say after reading the Old Testament promises of a Saviour who should come into the world. {78} 1. _God my Saviour_. This is the meaning of the name _Jesus_. The names Jesus and John were given designedly: naturally, therefore, they supply leading thoughts to the two Hymns which are especially associated with our Lord's Birth, and the birth of His forerunner (cf. Benedictus throughout, but especially _vv._ 4, 5, 6). 5. The name, John, suggests God's _mercy_. 7. The name, Mary, may have prompted the word _exalted_. 9. In this verse we can trace Zacharias=_God hath remembered_; John=_God's mercy_; and Elizabeth=_God's oath_. The Song of Hannah in 1 Sam. ii. exhibits many points of similarity and contrast, when compared with this Hymn. Benedicite. The Canticle _Benedicite omnia Opera_ is so called from Latin words meaning _Bless ye, all Works_. Our Services were translated from the Latin Services used in our Church for centuries before 1549: for Latin was the common language of civilised Europe. _Benedicite_ shares with other Canticles and with many parts of the Services the custom of being known by its first words in the Latin books. We said that _Te Deum laudamus_ not only had its name from the Latin Service Books, but is of Latin origin whether composed by Hilary of Arles, Hilary of Poictiers, or Ambrose and Augustine. But _Benedicite_, {79} though it has now a Latin name, is of Greek origin. It is a translation of part of the Greek additions to the Book of Daniel. In Daniel iii. the 23rd verse records how the Three Children of Israel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (i. 6), having come to great office in Babylon (ii. 49), and refused to fall down and worship the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar (iii. 18), were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. The 24th verse proceeds thus: "Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste," and told his counsellors that he saw four men walking in the fire without hurt. At this point, between verses 23 and 24, there is a sort of pause in the action. It might be filled up by a mark indicating that some short time elapses. The Greek Version inserts 68 verses: consisting of a prayer of Azariah (Abed-nego), a few verses of narrative, and 40 verses of praise including the 32 verses which have been sung in the Church Services of many countries and many centuries.