Mary’s Song of Praise

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.’  And Mary remained with her (Elizabeth) about three months and returned to her home.” –Luke 1:46-56 (ESV).

We call it the “Magnificat,” the praise song of Mary.  It follows the common Hebrew form of the Psalms by raising thanks to God and then telling why one is thankful.  The occasion was Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth in the ‘hill country of Judah’ who was expecting John the Baptist, in her old age.  Both women were bearing children that God had created for a very special purpose:  John to be the forerunner and announcer of the Messiah’s presence, and Jesus, Messiah, Immanuel, God-with-us.  As I have read and reread Mary’s praise song for many years, I become more and more amazed at each new reading that a young girl (some believe Mary was perhaps about fourteen years of age) could have such depth of perception and understanding of her mission.  Before she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, she had a visitation from the angel Gabriel who told her that she would miraculously conceive of the Holy Spirit and bear a son—holy, the Son of God.  When Mary questioned how this could come to pass, as she was a virgin, he told her, “Nothing will be impossible with God’ (v. 37).  If Mary had said “No” to this announcement, another person would have been found to bear the Son of God.  But Mary was willing.  Her answer to the angel was “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38). 

While Mary spends three months at her cousin Elizabeth’s home, we can imagine how they discussed how unbelievable that each was bearing a child, Elizabeth beyond the child-bearing age who was to give birth to John the Baptist, and Mary, a young virgin girl, who had been chosen of God as the vessel to bear his only begotten Son.  “Why is it granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (v. 43) Elizabeth asked.  I can imagine that for the three months Mary remained in Elizabeth’s house, they had many “girl-to-girl” talks on the wonder and disbelief of their purpose in being chosen to bear very special children.  Perhaps Mary even worried that she was not yet married; her very reputation as a chaste young woman was at stake back in her hometown of Nazareth..No doubt they discussed the prophecies of the forerunner (John) and the Messiah (Jesus).  With awe and unbelief they they accepted their places in God’s plan.

We go to Matthew’s gospel (1:18-23) to learn how an angel also visited Joseph in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, since they were already betrothed, because that   which was conceived in her was of the Holy Spirit.  Their marriage ceremony was performed, yet Joseph, true to the command given him by the Lord, did not consummate the marriage until after Jesus came into the world.  How Luke knew Mary’s hymn of praise and included it in his gospel, I cannot tell, but God-directed, even in that.  The gospel writer gave us Mary’s insight into being the chosen vessel for bearing the Lord.  By using anthropomorphisms for God (He has shown strength with His arm,…scattered the proud,…brought down he mighty…filled the hungry…helped Israel) she indicates knowledge of what the One she will bear will do.  Mary’s song of praise indeed magnifies the Lord and stands as a joyful hymn, expressing her faith in the Lord and her knowledge of the Old Testament, for her song reflects word from Hannah and several psalms.  We are grateful for Mary’s insights.