‘”My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
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.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants for ever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”’
Luke 1:46-55
The Holy Spirit must love music, because throughout scripture we read about people singing songs through God’s inspiration.
Today we read the lyrics to Mary’s song. We see Mary’s involvement in proclaiming the gospel, in contrast to two days ago when we saw the Holy Spirit as the active character, informing and filling Elizabeth when Mary greeted her. Here are a few observations about Mary’s song.
First, the song comes from Mary yet speaks to a wider audience. On one hand, it is deeply personal. ‘My soul glorifies the LORD. . . all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me.’ No one else can sing Mary’s song like this. On the other hand, it is based on Hannah’s song as found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Inspired by Mary’s experience, it also remembers God’s activity in Israel’s history. ‘He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants for ever, just as he promised our ancestors.’ While belonging to Mary, the song is also ours.
Second, Mary’s song speaks prophetically of God’s justice and mercy, comforting the afflicted and challenging the self-sufficient: ‘He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.’ The song comes from the coming kingdom of God, pointing out signs of the kingdom among us even today.
Third, it is a song of worship to the Lord.
Let’s learn from Mary how to proclaim the gospel. Her sermon is a song, telling with gladness what God has done and what God is doing, praising God for his love and faithfulness.
Now it’s our turn. What are the lyrics to the songs we will sing?
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