The Song of the Ancient Father Simeon, Called: Nunc Dimittis, Which He Did Sing When Mary Was Purified

Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your promise.

For my eyes have seen your Savior, whom you have prepared before all people.

A light for the enlightening of the heathen, and for the praise of the people of Israel.

This song has 3 verses, and it was sung when Christ was born, to the consolation of Mary and Joseph, with diverse other elect. Moreover, just as Zachary and Mary, and before them Moses, Debora, Anna the mother of Samuel, David and diverse others did utter their thankfulness toward God with songs, nor could find a more pleasing thing to thank him for his benefits than such open praises, wherein the glory of God's name is recited: even so does here Simeon by the Holy Spirit burst out in a song, with which he declares his thankful mind toward the goodness of God. He sets forth Christ in this song, and adorns him with great praises and goodly titles. He teaches also by his own example of which the true peace of conscience does come, and whereby it comes that we look readily and gladly for death, indeed even overcome death. Now (says he) Lord let your servant depart in peace, according to your promise. That is, I have nothing in me, of which I may boast at your judgment, except only this, that you are my Lord, and I your servant: not such a one that has done all your will, but such a one, as seeing I have not done your will, and ought therefore worthily to have been condemned, yet nevertheless am graciously saved by you. It was truly a fervent prayer and desire that the righteous and God-fearing sage Simeon praised God with as he saw the Lord in the temple, and took him in his arms. The heart of the aged man rejoiced so greatly at that time, that he could keep the praise of God no longer hidden in his heart: indeed if it had been possible, the heart would have burst for joy, saying: Lord, now let your servant depart in peace according to your promise. As though he would say: Let me now depart, I am now glad to die, death shall be now acceptable to me for it is fulfilled, that was promised to me. It might also be understood, that Simeon's desire was not only to be delivered of the bodily death, but also from all pining and restlessness of conscience, the which can be appeased with no works, before we have seen the anointed of the Lord, that is: before that our conscience knows Christ rightly. For then a man first becomes merry, then a man dies gladly, and then the Holy Spirit drives away all grief of conscience also, which makes a man restless. God gives some men a great peace inwardly at the first, as Mary brought forth her son with great joy. But such must suffer greatly afterward as Mary did also afterward. Some God allows to have grief and pining of conscience until their bodily death, as he did this Simeon, but then are they contented with advantage for all that they went without so long: the which is a painful life, but very precious. Neither were it possible for a man to endure (if God's word did not sustain him, on which he waits) until that time, that God has chosen to the same. Now when God verifies the promise, then is it above measure sweet to man, and so he thanks and praises God for it. For he learns then by true experience, that God verifies his promises, however long he defers it. Then is the goodness of the Lord, (indeed the Lord himself) very sweet, and he himself is very willing to die. In that Simeon calls himself the servant of the Lord, he first praises the goodness of God, that seeing he might have destroyed him for his wickednesses, yet has he deigned to spare him mercifully. Secondly he confesses his extreme vileness and lowliness, so that he has nothing in himself that is of worth in the sight of God, but that God has all power over him, either to slay or save, and that he be unworthy to be counted for a man before God. There is nothing more powerful to stir God to mercy, than so to acknowledge before God, and to submit themselves to him, calling upon him by faith. Therefore David, stirring God to show mercy, does so often repeat the name servant: as though he would say: Just as he that is taken in battle or in time of war, and so being sold is a bondman and servant to him that bought him: even so I also being redeemed by your precious blood from the danger of the devil, death and hell, am even altogether your own, your servant, your bondman, having no right to myself.

Moreover that Simeon says: according to your promise, therein does he praise and commend the truth of God's promises. For the word or promise made to Simeon was, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Now though there appeared many things contrary to this word or promise, and though it seemed to have been a vain and feigned tale, nevertheless, seeing all men are liars, but you Lord my God are true, you fulfill it at the fullest that you have promised, and let me now go in peace. Until now have I carefully awaited your coming, and that these many years, and what mistrusting did not the flesh in the meantime stir me to? What infidelity did not Satan inspire me with? And because you did defer your promise of seeing Christ, therefore was I near caused to think that all your promises were vain. And (good Lord) what rumor or uproar did then rise in my conscience? With what devices did Satan assault my mind? Laying now my sins before me, then showing me a horrible image of death, sometime kindling the horrible fire of hell in my entrails, with which I was so dismayed, that I was near in despair. But now you make me a happy aged man Lord, and let your servant depart in peace, according to your promise. Now do you set my conscience at rest, now shall I carelessly await the bodily death, I will now die gladly.

But what has happened to the good father, that you are so suddenly changed, and where before you were so sorrowful, that you are now even filled with so great joy? For what cause do you now so leap for joy, as though you were revived, which before seemed to have been more than dead? Surely his joy is not for nothing. Let us therefore hear himself. For this says he to be the cause of his mirth and gladness, namely: For my eyes have seen your Savior, whom you have prepared before all people.

This is the treasure that rejoices me and makes death acceptable to me, namely: that I see him that was under the law, and know him for such a one as helps me — it cannot be but I must rejoice and not be afraid of death. Behold now what is hidden in the heart of the old gray-headed father, that he will now die, and will depart in peace. To depart with joy or die in peace is a fine word in the ears of him that can so do. But from where has he such a pleasant death? Even from the child. Who has ever seen such a like death? But all they that put their trust in any other save in this child the Savior — when they shall die, they tremble and quake and are very sorrowful at the heart, and change their color, their wit, reason, understanding, and all their strength fades even away, death overcomes them. Indeed, though all the kings, princes, and powers of the world were by with their horses and arms to help them, and the fear of death came upon them, they should stand as stiff as a stake before death. But the good Simeon rejoices that he will depart in peace, as though there were no death. He calls not the passing a death — he disdains to honor it so much. He says: LORD, now let your servant depart in peace — and not, you let me die. He calls the passing a sweet and easy sleep.

From where has he the skill that he fears not death, but counts it a sweet sleep, for which nevertheless all the world is afraid? Even from there that sin, the law, and death were banished out of his heart — he did not regard them. For where the law is, there is also a conscience of sin: but where it is not, there is nothing save righteousness, and Moses is exiled, and so wholly out of sight, that his sepulcher is not seen nor known where it is. Where Moses is gone, from there is sin taken away also, and so death becomes a lovely sleep.

But how does he get that? Truly not by his merits and works, but only by the beholding of the Savior. For he says: My eyes have seen your Savior. He makes no mention, nor is once thinking that he has done or procured it with his hands, but has seen it with his eyes — though the outward sight without the inward does avail so little as the hands.

There are two points: to see, and the Savior. To see Christ pertains to a quiet and peaceable death. If we see him, then can we die joyfully: but if we see him not, then is he there in vain to us. Many have seen him in the temple, but not aright. Joseph, Mary, Anna, and Simeon have seen him aright, but all the others that beheld him not likewise have not seen Christ nor the Savior. Caiaphas, Annas, Pilate, and Herod did behold him indeed, but they saw not that he was the Savior. But in what is the fault, that they cannot see him? In the eyes of the heart — they must be clear, that they may behold the young LORD that is entered into the winepress for us, and has suffered wrong for us, setting us at liberty, not for our merits or deservings, but for his truth and love's sake. Whoever beholds him after this manner has overcome the law, sin, and death, despising all their assaults.

The true seeing consists not in the bodily eyes, for many have seen him after that manner, who were never the better for it: but in faith in the heart. It may well be that they have seen him with bodily eyes, but yet not believed that he was the Savior, thinking in this way: Should this child be he? It is scarce six weeks old, neither can it lift up the head. The true Savior (thought they) shall come with an army, with horses and all manner of weapons. But the good Simeon has seen him otherwise. He was warned in his heart and a word was given him, saying: The same is he. He had another light and another sight. Even so must we also not only hear at Christ's mouth, but also believe in the heart through the Holy Ghost, and so must the heart be illumined by the Holy Ghost: for it is naturally stony, hardened, and darkened so sore, that it cannot acknowledge such salvation and see such light. Neither is it enough that Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and others have seen him — I must see him also, I must know him also, I must know also that he is the true Messiah.

Simeon might with few words have uttered the cause of his joy, and said: Therefore let me depart in peace, because I have seen Christ. But that he might declare the majesty of Christ more clearly, he leaves the name of Christ, and in stead thereof he sets three titles, with which Christ is set forth most plainly, and his use is shown most manifestly. The first title that Christ is declared with is Savior, saying: My eyes have seen your Savior, whom you have prepared before all people. This saying seems Simeon to have taken out of the 52nd Chapter of Isaiah where he says: The LORD will make bare his holy arm, and show it forth in the sight of all the Gentiles, and all the ends of the earth shall see the saving health of our God. That Isaiah did prophesy for to come, that says Simeon to be now fulfilling. That is, that our LORD Christ, which as the true Savior is shown in the flesh, and set up therefore, that he might be shown to all nations, both the Jews and Gentiles. If the sins do rack our consciences, and cast them to the everlasting damnation, then is Christ our Savior, the wholesome plaster, which laid to the sores of our sins, does so dry up, cleanse and heal the [reconstructed: matter] of them, that although he feel himself grieved with sins, and yet do believe in Christ, yielding himself wholly to his cure, yet is he for all that reckoned clean from all sin, righteous and holy. And if Christ be wholesome to cleanse and heal sins, it follows also that he is wholesome in all adversities, troubles, griefs and pains of death and hell. For if any man be pained, or grieved, then is Christ wholesome to him. For in forgiving sins, he makes the same grief to be no instrument or occasion of misery to him. If any man be cast before death and hell in his conscience, Christ is a Savior to him, who seeing he has satisfied his father for our sins, he changes the fear of death and hell in a way, not to perdition, but to life and everlasting salvation. Let us therefore embrace this Savior of God, which Simeon did bear in his arms, and let us likewise bear him by faith, that we may be let go in peace likewise.

The second title that Simeon decks Christ with is the light. For he says: A light for the enlightening of the Heathen, he shall not only be a Savior, but also a light to enlighten the Heathen, that is: He is a light that shall not only shine among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles, and enlighten them, that they also may come to the eternal bliss out of the darkness of death and hell. This part of the song seems to be taken out of the 42nd Chapter of Isaiah, where he prophesies of Christ on this wise: I will give you for a covenant of the people, and to be the light of the Gentiles, that you may open the eyes of the blind, and let out the prisoners, and them that sit in darkness out of the dungeon house. And Christ says thus of himself, in the 8th chapter of John: I am the light of the world, He that follows me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. What are then those darknesses that Christ the light does drive out? The darknesses are first all man's power, wisdom, and righteousness, the which, though they glisten and shine before men, yet to obtain the grace of God thereby, to appease God's wrath, to make satisfaction for our sins, and to get the true bliss with them, they are but even darkness. Secondly are the darknesses all doctrines of philosophers, all laws, either of the Heathen, or of Moses. For those though they be profitable, and be necessary to redress manners by them, and to repress the wicked, yet to put away sin with them and to get the true righteousness before God, they are even darkness. Only Christ is the light, because whoever believes his gospel, has the cleansing and remission of sins through him, which is our righteousness, consisting in the judgment of God. Finally are our sins, death and hell darkness, but Christ is the true light. [1 page missing] For if God has not spared the natural branches, let us beware, lest he spare not us also. God refused the Jews for their wickedness, how much more shall he refuse us Gentiles, if we be like to them in wickedness? He refused the Jews, not because they crucified Christ, but because they believed not in him whom they crucified, nor repented at the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ: Even so shall not God refuse us, because we have sinned, (or else had we been long since refused,) but we shall be refused, because we will not believe his Gospel against whom we have sinned, nor have done penance by faith, but partly persecute the gospel with tyranny, partly with despising and loathsomeness. Therefore let us be diligent by obedience to the gospel, that the same glory of Christ that is come and translated to us, do abide with us forever, and not be slandered by our misbehavior and ungodly living. For better were it that a millstone were hung about our necks and we cast into the sea, than any slander to God and his holy word should come by us.

Here is now (good reader) the song of the sage gray-headed Simeon, which he being full of the Holy Ghost did sing, to declare his mind toward God. Wherein first by his own example he shows where by the true peace and tranquility of conscience does come, and whereby we become willing to die, namely thereby, that we know Christ to be the overcomer and vanquisher of sin and death. For if we do behold the death in us and in herself, there is nothing more heinous or dreadful. But if we take Christ in our arms of faith, and behold the death in him, then do we so little despair with beholding the death, that we rather do say, either with Simeon: LORD, Now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word: Or else with Paul: I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ.

Moreover does Simeon set forth Christ with three goodly titles, calling him the Savior of all people, the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel: that with these titles he might so set forth the majesty of Christ, that either he might provoke the unbelieving to the faith, or establish the weak in faith, or keep them that be strong.