Song of Simeon

Text and Content

The passage appears in the Gospel of Luke 2:22-35. Mary and Joseph of Nazareth brought the infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem to carry out the purification rite prescribed by the Law and to present their firstborn son to God. There Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God. In the King James Version, his hymn reads:

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32).

Simeon then addresses a prophecy to Mary: this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and a sword will pierce through her own soul (Luke 2:34-35).

Background

Luke introduces Simeon as a just and devout man. He was waiting for "the consolation of Israel," and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (Luke 2:25-26).

The word rendered "Lord" in the hymn translates the Greek despotēs, meaning "master." The verb translated "let depart" is also used of releasing a servant from bondage. Simeon thus portrays himself as a servant standing before his master, asking that, his task now complete, he may be allowed to depart. The Latin name Nunc Dimittis ("Now lettest thou depart") comes from the opening words of the passage in the Vulgate.

Significance in Scripture as a Whole

The hymn draws on Old Testament prophecy, especially the language of Isaiah. "A light to lighten the Gentiles" recalls "a light to the Gentiles" in Isaiah 49:6, and the idea that all peoples will see God's salvation echoes Isaiah 52:10. The theme of a salvation that extends even to the Gentiles carries over into the Book of Acts. In Acts 13:47, Paul and Barnabas cite Isaiah 49:6 as the basis for their mission to the Gentiles.

Luke 1-2 contains three canticles: the Song of Mary, the Song of Zechariah, and the Song of Simeon.

Interpretation and Issues

• Simeon's age: The text does not explicitly state that Simeon was an old man. He is commonly depicted as an elderly man near death simply because of the phrase "lettest thou thy servant depart." The person whose age is actually given is the prophetess Anna, who was present at the same scene and was eighty-four years old (see Simeon and Anna).
• Simeon's status: Nor does the text say that Simeon was a priest.
• Septuagint tradition: Some traditions in the Eastern Church hold that Simeon was one of the translators of the Septuagint. This is an extrabiblical legend.
• "A sword shall pierce through thy own soul": This phrase is generally understood to refer to the suffering Mary would endure at the foot of the cross. The Catholic Church has linked this verse to its tradition of meditating on the sorrows of Mary.

Use in Worship

Several church traditions have used this canticle in evening prayer or in prayers at the close of the day.

• Catholic Church: It is prayed as the "Canticle of Simeon" at Night Prayer (Compline) in the Liturgy of the Hours.
• Anglican Communion: It is used at Evening Prayer together with the Song of Mary. In Korea, it is used at Evening Prayer in the Anglican Church of Korea.
• Orthodox Church: It is sung at Vespers.

Churches that follow the liturgical calendar may also read this passage on the Sunday after Christmas or around the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2).