This song begins with the announcement: “The Savior comes, the Savior promised long!” For God’s people waiting for the Messiah, this was a welcome announcement.

Why? The Messiah who was promised since the time of Isaiah was to come with blessings for God’s people. The rest of the song describes what this Messiah would do:

“He comes the prisoners to release, in Satan’s bondage held. . . .”

“He comes the broken heart to bind, the wounded soul to cure. . . .”

At the beginning of Jesus’ teaching ministry, he was in­vited to read from the Scriptures in his hometown. He turned to this passage from Isaiah and read the words of our text for today. And when he finished, he said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).

The Savior has come! This is exciting for God’s people every­where. The Lord and Savior has come with good news to meet all of our needs: to release us from our bondage to sin and Satan—to heal our broken hearts and cure our wounded souls. This is what we prepare to celebrate in the coming weeks. The long-promised Savior has come!