Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=1Samuel+002
Chapter Two (ESV)
1 And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
2 “There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
6 The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
8 He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.
9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
REFLECTION:
- Hannah must have been filled with anguish as she approached the tabernacle at Shiloh, hand in hand with little Samuel, knowing she must leave him there and return home alone. Yet when the gift had been given, Hannah suddenly found herself filled with joy! God’s Holy Spirit had filled the emptiness she had feared. There would be moments of loneliness ahead. Hannah surely missed her little son. But this song of praise, in which Hannah contemplates the greatness of God, is witness to the comfort she found in her faith.
- Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving, similar to the Magnificat of Mary in Luke 1, is one of the great prayers of the Bible. She extols the name and character of the Lord and acknowledges His sovereignty over all things. It is a powerful statement that sings a song of triumph in the midst of sufferings, and paints a picture of the coming day of the Lord, when all that is wrong with the world will be turned over. This seems to be a personal victory over her tormentors, but then in fact includes all the marginalized and oppressed in all time and place and offers hope for victory and deliverance.
PRAYER:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.” (Ref. Luke 1:46-50)
HYMN:
Great Things – youtu.be/y4CY3nf1Mvw
