The Song of Mary: Magnificat

Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

^47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

^48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

^49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

^50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

^51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

^52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

^53 He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

^54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

^55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,

even as he said to our fathers.”

My Soul Glorifies the Lord

She burst into singing.  That’s the only way Mary thought she could express how great God is and how wonderful he has been towards her.  Her song was the most personal and heartfelt a song could be.  What she sang weren’t just words to her.  What she sang is what she believed, what she trusted, what she depended on.  After all, her song was about her Lord, her Savior.

This wasn’t a song about her.  How could it be?  What was there to sing about?  She was just a lowly maiden; a poor peasant girl.  Was she supposed to sing about her tattered clothes?  Was she supposed to sing about her common house chores?  Was she supposed to sing about how if you walked past her in the street you wouldn’t even notice her, because there was nothing notable about her?  Was she supposed to sing about her sin, about how she didn’t deserve anyone’s attention, much less God’s attention?  No way!  This song isn’t about her.  She wanted to sing about her Savior.

Beyond anything she thought she deserved, God regarded her with favor and affection.  Yes, the God of all creation, God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, regarded her.  He didn’t go out and find a rich, renowned, noble, and mighty queen.  He let his pure and gracious eyes light on Mary.  He would use her for his glorious work.

It was from then on that all generations would call her blessed.  As if to shine the spotlight on God and draw all your attention and awe and marvel to him, she sang, “The Mighty One has done great things for me.”  Because God regarded her, and what is more, because God worked such a great miracle in her; she sang some more to sing of God’s grace.  For little, despised, unworthy Mary, Almighty God has done some marvelous things!  He would use so poor and despised a maiden to give birth to God’s Son.  Holy is his name!  Just like the angel said, the Lord took on flesh in her womb and was growing and kicking inside her.  The eternal Son of God would drink her milk.  The Son of God would become so intimately and completely united with humanity so that he could redeem us sinners from sin and separate us from sin and all its unholy consequences.  The Holy One would intimately join sinners in order to separate sinners from sin.

Don’t you just want to join with Mary in her song of praise?!  Don’t the thoughts of your heart turn right towards God and praising him for his mercy?  Because his mercy extends to you, too!  Can’t we relate with Mary?  Who are we that God would extend mercy to us?  We’re nothing special.  We’re not nobility.  We’re not famous.  We’re just…us.  Why should the Prince give his hand to us?

Or does our heart harbor pride?  Don’t we secretly think that there must be something about us that should make God like us?  Doesn’t he see that we took time to come to church?  Doesn’t it count that I consider God my friend?  Shouldn’t he be grateful for my allegiance and my time?

God has no regard for the proud.  He scatters those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He doesn’t owe you anything for populating the pews.  He brings down rulers from their thrones.  He has no desire to fill up those who are already full of themselves.  He sends the rich away empty.  Mary’s song convicts and condemns us.  If God condemned the proud Egyptians and Babylonians, why should he spare the proud Americans?  Could we possibly tell God Almighty why he should listen to our excuses?

Mary’s song also comforts us.  Over whom do Jesus’ outstretched arms not extend?  Whose sin does the blood of God’s Son and Mary’s Son not cover?  Have your sins weighed you down?  He entered Mary’s womb to lift you up.  Are you hungry for true peace with God?  He became like you to fill your greatest need.

Just like Mary sang.  Just like God promised.  God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He promised Moses and Joshua.  He promised David, and Solomon.  He promised all of them and all of us that he would help us in our greatest need.  He would rescue us from our sin.  He would redeem us from Satan.  He would deliver us from death and hell.  That promise was being fulfilled, and the bump on Mary’s tummy showed it.  God was coming to the aid of his people through the baby growing inside Mary because he remembered his promise of mercy.

How do you express how great God is and how wonderful he has been towards us?  How do we express our gratitude for what we believe, what we trust, what we depend on which God has done for us?  How do we express our love for what our Savior did for us?  The best thing I can think of doing is to sing!  Sing with all your heart as Mary sang.  My soul glorifies the Lord!  Amen.