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.

A Goodly Heritage, A Firm Foundation

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places:  Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.  I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.  I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let Your holy one see corruption.” –Psalm 16:5-10 (ESV).

The explanatory note at the beginning of Psalm 16 says that it is “A Miktam of David.”  “Miktam” is probably a musical liturgical term and also means that the psalm is dedicated to the saints of the land who delight David with their faithfulness to the Lord.  When the faithful, ‘the saints’ sing Psalm 16, they reinforce their faith and the faith of all those around them.  They express great confidence in the Lord’s guidance and care and the knowledge that they can take refuge in the Lord.  At this crucial time in our country, it would be well for us to read all of Psalm 16, take it to heart, and join with those saints of old who did not waver even under great duress.  They knew without a doubt that they had a goodly inheritance of faith.  “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you” (Psalm 16:2).

Scholars believe that this Psalm by David may have been written shortly after the Lord gave His gracious covenant to David and assured him of an enduring throne.  We read about this in 2 Samuel 7, with David’s confirmation of acceptance in 2 Samuel 7:29: “Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you.  For you, O Lord God, have spoken and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”  When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she would conceive and bear a son, and name Him Jesus, for “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”  (Luke 1: 32-33).  What measure of God’s purpose could have been understood by David, we know not.  But he did recognize and was assured by the fact that God had chosen him as king of Israel, and that his kingship would have an influence on succeeding generations.

When America was founded, the leaders who were at the forefront in establishing our Constitution and the laws of our land were aware of their calling and purpose as being God-directed.  They were not ashamed to own their faith in God or to admit their dependence on Him.  Thomas Jefferson in his “Summary View of Rights” stated:  “God who gave us life gave us liberty.  And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?  That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?  Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” (In Notes on the State of Virginia.  Query XVIII, p. 237). David reminded us in Psalm 16 that we need to turn again and again to God for counsel and that we are to set the Lord always before us.

Prayer.   Dear Lord, Raise up stalwart and God-fearing leaders to govern our land, from local and state offices to our nation’s highest government positions.  May they seek Your counsel and lead with justice and stability on sound principles that have been tried and proven in the anvil of time.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

“Yahweh Tsidkenu”—The Lord Our Righteousness

“Behold the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.  And this is the name by which He will be called:  ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”-Joshua 23:5-6.

“A Branch out of the stem of David” was one of the most acclaimed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.  It is no wonder that when Jesus came to earth and His followers began to claim him as the promised Messiah, they expected Him to overthrow Roman rule and set up a kingdom of righteousness and justice and quell the reign of oppression.  Jeremiah recognized that the promised king would be “Yahweh Tsidkenu”—or “The Lord our Righteousness.”  God had a larger plan than just for the nations of Judah and Israel.  “The Lord our Righteousness” would be for all people who acknowledged the Messiah and attuned to His rule of righteousness.  But the Kingdom is not of this world.  It is in the hearts of men and women and children who truly recognize Jesus as Lord of Lord and King of Kings.  This was reinforced, as given in the angel’s announcement to Mary at the time of her conception:  “”And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. (Luke 1:30-33).  It was seen  in Matthew 2:2: when wise men from the East came to bow before Jesus: “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  When Jesus called Nathanael to be a disciple, he accepted with these words:  “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel” (Luke 2:1:49).  Jesus replied to Nathanael:  “Truly, truly I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (Luke 1:51).  Nathanael lived to see Jesus’ prophetic words come true, for he gathered with the other believers at the ascension of Christ back into heaven after His mission to earth was finished. 

The greatest news about the “Branch out of the stem of David” who is “the righteousness of God” is that we have His righteousness credited to our account:  “For our sake He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus imputed (credited) His righteousness to our account.  This is justification by Him through our faith for “we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we are healed” (1 Peter 2:24b).  And under God’s saving grace made possible through faith in Jesus Christ, our sins and iniquities are not only forgiven but they are remembered no more: “I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.  Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:17-18).  One day He will come again in His glory to receive us unto Himself forever.  Praise be to God!