King James Bible
"To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;"
This phrase from Zechariah's prophecy declares that God is actively fulfilling His compassionate promises made to Israel's patriarchs. The salvation coming through John and Jesus represents God's faithfulness across generations, demonstrating that divine mercy is not abstract but performed in concrete historical acts. God's remembering signifies His deliberate action to honor the sacred agreement made with Abraham and his descendants. In Hebrew thought, divine remembrance means God moves to fulfill His commitments, emphasizing that the coming redemption flows from ancient promises now reaching their climax.