By Dr. Robert C Crowde
Reading:
1 Samuel 2:1-8 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.
Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Reflection:
Mary’s song was not original, and that is precisely its power. Centuries earlier, another woman stood in the temple and prayed a song of praise that echoed through Israel’s memory: Hannah, the barren woman whom God remembered. ‘My heart rejoiceth in the LORD,’ Hannah sang. ‘He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar.’ When Mary learned she would bear the Messiah, her heart overflowed with the same truth Hannah had proclaimed: God exalts the humble and brings down the proud. Mary’s Magnificat is Hannah’s song reborn, proof that the God who remembered a barren woman in Shiloh now remembered a virgin in Nazareth. The pattern is the same. The God is the same. And the song of joy that erupts from unlikely women chosen by God is the same.
When Mary learned that she would bear the Messiah, her response was not silence or stoic acceptance. She burst into song. The Magnificat, as it has been called throughout church history, is one of the most theologically rich hymns in all of Scripture. It reveals that true joy flows not from comfort, status, or security, but from a heart that magnifies the Lord and marvels at His mercy.
Consider Mary’s circumstances. She was young, poor, and betrothed. The pregnancy she carried would subject her to suspicion, shame, and potential punishment under the law. Her future was uncertain. Her reputation was at risk. Joseph would consider divorcing her quietly. Her family and community would struggle to understand. Yet, in the midst of circumstances that would crush most people with anxiety and fear, Mary sang. This is the paradox of biblical joy; it does not require favorable conditions. It flourishes in the soil of faith, humility, and submission to God’s will.
Mary’s song begins with the soul and the spirit: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” The word “magnify” means to make large, to enlarge, to cause to appear great. Mary does not make God greater than He is; that would be impossible. Rather, she makes much of Him in her own heart and in the hearing of others. To magnify God is to lift Him high in our estimation, to fill our vision with His greatness, to allow His glory to eclipse everything else. When we make much of God, joy is the inevitable result.
Notice that Mary’s joy is in “God my Saviour.” This is personal and intimate language. She does not rejoice in an abstract theological concept or a distant deity. She rejoices in the God who has saved her, who has chosen her, called her, and made her part of His redemptive plan. Mary understood that she, like all humanity, needed a Savior. She was not sinless, despite later unbiblical traditions. She called God her Savior because she knew she needed salvation. And that recognition; that she was a recipient of grace, not a dispenser of it, became the foundation of her joy.
Mary’s humility is striking: “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” She does not boast of her own worthiness or spiritual superiority. She marvels that God looked upon her “low estate,” her humble position, her insignificance in the eyes of the world. The Greek word tapeinosis speaks of lowliness, even humiliation. Mary had nothing to offer God but her obedience. Yet God chose her, and in choosing her, He demonstrated a pattern that runs throughout Scripture: God delights to use the humble, the weak, and the insignificant to accomplish His greatest purposes.[1]
The song continues with a declaration of God’s power and holiness: “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” Mary’s joy is rooted in who God is; mighty and holy. His power accomplishes what seems impossible. His holiness sets Him apart from all creation. These are not abstract attributes to be studied academically; they are realities to be worshiped experientially. When we encounter the living God, when we see His power at work and His holiness revealed, joy rises like a spring from deep within the soul.
Mary then reflects on the character of God’s mercy: “And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” God’s mercy is not fickle or arbitrary. It extends across generations to those who fear Him, who reverence Him, trust Him, and walk in obedience to Him. This is covenantal language, echoing God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants. Mary understood that what was happening to her was part of a much larger story; God’s faithfulness to His covenant people stretching back centuries and forward into eternity.
The song takes a turn toward God’s work in the world: “He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.” This is the great reversal of the kingdom of God. God overturns the world’s values. The proud are scattered, the mighty are brought low, the rich are sent away empty. But the humble are exalted, the hungry are filled, and the lowly are lifted up. This is not social commentary or political revolution; it is theological reality. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.[2] Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.[3]
Mary concludes by anchoring her joy in God’s faithfulness to His promises: “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.” God remembered His covenant. He did not forget His promises. The child Mary would bear was the fulfillment of centuries of prophecy, the answer to generations of waiting, the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. Joy overflows when we see God keep His word.
Mary’s song teaches us that joy is not found in making much of ourselves, our achievements, our status, our comfort. Joy is found in making much of God and making less of ourselves. It is the gladness of a heart that has been humbled, saved, and called into God’s purposes. Like Mary, we find joy when we magnify the Lord, recognize our need for a Savior, marvel at His mercy, and trust His faithfulness.
This Advent, cultivate the joy of humility. Stop striving to be noticed, celebrated, or exalted. Instead, exalt the Lord. Make much of Him. Let His greatness fill your vision until everything else fades into proper perspective. That is the path to the kind of joy that Mary knew, the joy that sings even when circumstances are hard, because the God who is mighty has done great things, and holy is His name.
Prayer:
- Ask God to fill your heart with praise that glorifies Him, teaching you the joy of humility.
- Thank Him for His mercy that extends across generations and pray that He would help you rejoice in Him as your Savior, regardless of circumstances.
Consider:
Write your own short song, poem, or prayer of praise to God, modeled after Mary’s Magnificat. Focus on who God is (His character and attributes) and what He has done in your life (His faithfulness and mercy). Don’t worry about eloquence; just let your heart magnify the Lord. Read it aloud as an act of worship.
[1] 1 Corinthians 1:27–29
[2] James 4:6
[3] Luke 14:11
Robert C. Crowder Ministries 
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