Luk 1:46-55 | KingComments | STEP | After the praise of Elizabeth comes the praise of Mary. Her praise has much in common with the praise of Hannah on the occasion of the birth of Samuel ( ). After the praise of Mary, Luke mentions five more in the first two chapters, so that we find a total of seven praises. We hear about the praise of Zacharias ( ), of the angels ( ), of the shepherds ( ), of Simeon ( ) and of Anna ( ). These are all, except of the angels, expressions of the personal faith overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord. If that is the case, a praise is inevitably. Of Mary is not mentioned that she is filled with the Holy Spirit as we read of Elizabeth ( ). This does not mean that she is not filled with the Holy Spirit, but that her expressions reflect even more than Elizabeth’s her personal experience of the things that has been told to her. She speaks about the feelings of her soul and her mind. With her soul she exalts the Lord. The Lord cannot become greater through our praise, but He can become great for our souls. This exaltation has nothing to do with something small that is placed under a microscope and then made great. It is much more something here like, for example, a huge star that is so far away that it seems small. Looking at it through a telescope does not make the star greater, but brings its greatness closer, it is easier to see how great the star is. Thus can our soul exalt the Lord. We can sing of everything in which He is great, such as His grace and mercy. Thus we express something of His greatness in our world in which He seems so small and insignificant. When we think of all the favors that He has done to us, a song of praise arises in our souls. His lovingkindness sets our soul in motion, feelings of gratitude are inevitable. We exalt Him, while we still fall so far short of His true greatness. Paul longed that Christ would be exalted in his body ( ). There it is about making visible Who Christ is through him, that through his physical actions others will see Christ, that He is brought closer to people. Here it is about the expressions of the soul, the need to tell God and others Who He is for me personally. How little do we do so, because we are so little impressed by all the goodness and grace of God that He has proven in the gift of His Son. Let Mary be an encouragement for us to exalt the Lord more and more. Not only her soul is involved in her song of praise, also her mind is. A song of praise is not just an emotional expression, but there are spiritual considerations. Her expression of joy lies in the fact that she has a Savior in God. She says that although she is the mother of the Lord Jesus, she also needs Him as Savior. In the expression of her feelings she is also a picture of the faithful remnant that will react in the same way when Christ comes to His people for the second time. The character of the thoughts that fill the heart of Mary and the application thereof, are entirely Jewish. It’s the only way to do it. It is with it as with many psalms and also as with the song of praise of Hannah ( ). At the same time, these expressions of gratitude give us so much for our own souls, for us who, by grace, may know the great truths of Christendom. We may also know God as Savior. Thus He is mentioned several times in the New Testament ( ; ). However, we are not in a relationship with Him as Yahweh , the LORD, the God of the covenant with Israel, but we may know Him as our Father and call Him “Abba, Father” by the Holy Spirit ( ; ). This is the result of the coming of the Lord Jesus, in Whom God has revealed Himself as the triune God: as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Does that bring our soul to a constant song of praise?

‏ Luke 1:46-55

The Song of Praise of Mary

After the praise of Elizabeth comes the praise of Mary. Her praise has much in common with the praise of Hannah on the occasion of the birth of Samuel (1Sam 2:1-10). After the praise of Mary, Luke mentions five more in the first two chapters, so that we find a total of seven praises. We hear about the praise of Zacharias (Lk 1:67-79), of the angels (Lk 2:14), of the shepherds (Lk 2:20), of Simeon (Lk 2:29-32) and of Anna (Lk 2:38). These are all, except of the angels, expressions of the personal faith overwhelmed by the goodness of the Lord. If that is the case, a praise is inevitably.

Of Mary is not mentioned that she is filled with the Holy Spirit as we read of Elizabeth (Lk 1:41). This does not mean that she is not filled with the Holy Spirit, but that her expressions reflect even more than Elizabeth’s her personal experience of the things that has been told to her. She speaks about the feelings of her soul and her mind.

With her soul she exalts the Lord. The Lord cannot become greater through our praise, but He can become great for our souls. This exaltation has nothing to do with something small that is placed under a microscope and then made great. It is much more something here like, for example, a huge star that is so far away that it seems small. Looking at it through a telescope does not make the star greater, but brings its greatness closer, it is easier to see how great the star is. Thus can our soul exalt the Lord. We can sing of everything in which He is great, such as His grace and mercy. Thus we express something of His greatness in our world in which He seems so small and insignificant.

When we think of all the favors that He has done to us, a song of praise arises in our souls. His lovingkindness sets our soul in motion, feelings of gratitude are inevitable. We exalt Him, while we still fall so far short of His true greatness. Paul longed that Christ would be exalted in his body (Phil 1:20). There it is about making visible Who Christ is through him, that through his physical actions others will see Christ, that He is brought closer to people. Here it is about the expressions of the soul, the need to tell God and others Who He is for me personally. How little do we do so, because we are so little impressed by all the goodness and grace of God that He has proven in the gift of His Son. Let Mary be an encouragement for us to exalt the Lord more and more.

Not only her soul is involved in her song of praise, also her mind is. A song of praise is not just an emotional expression, but there are spiritual considerations. Her expression of joy lies in the fact that she has a Savior in God. She says that although she is the mother of the Lord Jesus, she also needs Him as Savior.

In the expression of her feelings she is also a picture of the faithful remnant that will react in the same way when Christ comes to His people for the second time. The character of the thoughts that fill the heart of Mary and the application thereof, are entirely Jewish. It’s the only way to do it. It is with it as with many psalms and also as with the song of praise of Hannah (1Sam 2:1-10). At the same time, these expressions of gratitude give us so much for our own souls, for us who, by grace, may know the great truths of Christendom. We may also know God as Savior. Thus He is mentioned several times in the New Testament (1Tim 2:3; Tit 1:3 ; Tit 3:4).

However, we are not in a relationship with Him as Yahweh, the LORD, the God of the covenant with Israel, but we may know Him as our Father and call Him “Abba, Father” by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). This is the result of the coming of the Lord Jesus, in Whom God has revealed Himself as the triune God: as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Does that bring our soul to a constant song of praise?

Reason of the Song of Praise

Mary is aware of her own humble state and that God has had regard for her precisely for that reason. She is deeply impressed by His actions toward her personally. When she says that all generations will count her blessed, it is not to exalt herself, but it has its reason in what God has done to her, what He has made of her. She is someone by whom God is honored and not the object of worship that the roman-catholic church has made of her.

She sings of God as “the Mighty One”. The awareness of our own humble state and the awareness of what God has done to us will make us sing of Him as “the Mighty One”. Only He was able to do this to us in His omnipotence. This is what the remnant of Israel will experience when He brings it from tribulation into the blessing of the kingdom of peace.

However, He is not only powerful, He is also “holy”. All His actions toward us are based on His holiness. He can never give any blessing to any person if that person does not answer to His holiness. This guarantees at the same time the immutability and security of the blessing. His Name is holy, He blesses where He has dealt with sin. He did so in the Son Whom He promised to give.

The blessing He gives is not only bound to His holy Name, but also to His “mercy”. God, in His mercy, looks after miserable people who cannot survive without Him, and are aware of this. He doesn’t withheld His mercy from those who fear Him. As long as there are men on the earth who cry to Him in their need, He will show His mercy. This applies to the remnant that is in distress; this applies to the sinner who is in distress; this applies to the believer who is in distress. He never ceases to be the Merciful.

The Future Sung About as Fulfilled

What Mary sings of in these verses only becomes reality in the realm of peace, but faith already sees this situation ahead. Mary sings of the mighty deeds done with His arm. He’s going to concern Himself with His people to carry out His plans. What He is going to do goes against the pride of man. The proud think they have the matter under control, but when God goes to work, He will scatter that proudness. None of it will remain. This applies to His people Israel, who are going their way in unbelief, and it applies to the people of the world, who believe that they can control everything. In both cases, the folly of their heart’s deliberations are revealed.

Despite all the intellectual and financial efforts, the chaos in the world is getting worse in all areas. Yet, in his pride, man thinks that he can get the matter under control. However, God will intervene in the world affairs in His time, as He has done so often in small, in secret, only visible to faith.

Faith sees that through Him the kings reign (Pro 8:15-16; Rom 13:1). He appoints them and deposes them (Hos 13:11). He has brought down from the throne powerful people like Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar and exalted a shepherd boy like David. Thus will He overthrow the throne of satan and exalt His Servant Jesus before all eyes. This is the language of faith, while the world thinks it can decide for itself who rules it.

It gives rest to the believer when he remembers that the rulers would not have any power if God had not given them. The Lord Jesus bears witness to this (Jn 19:11). This thought will support the remnant when the antichrist comes to power and he fiercely persecutes the faithful. All believers who sigh under a God-hostile reign may know this.

Not only the rulers are under His authority, also the circumstances in which the believers find themselves are under His authority. He will put an end to all the social misery resulting from persecution. He will reverse the roles. Those who suffer need will be satisfied, and those who enrich themselves at the expense of others will lose everything.

God Fulfills His Promises

What God is about to do is proof that He has not forgotten His servant Israel. It looked like that because the people had been in misery for so long. But He is concerned with His people. He has always been full of mercy for them, but now is the time, the fullness of time, to remember His mercy, to express it. Faith continues to look forward to this.

Mary, faith, the faithful remnant, knows that the basis of God’s actions is His Word. What He has promised, He will do. His promised blessing will come. Even if it turns out that the coming of His Son to bring that blessing fills the measure of the wickedness of the people, the promises remain. He will fulfill them.