7  Mary’s  Praise  (Luke 1:46–55)

And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” (1:46–55)

Here is a rich offering of praise from Mary. It is remarkable for its theology and use of the Old Testament. She was a young girl, perhaps about thirteen years old who, like all the people of her day, had no personal copy of the Scriptures. Her familiarity with the Word of God must have come from hearing it read regularly in the synagogue (cf. 4:16). It settled in her heart and was readily on her mind when she opened her mouth in worshipful praise. What a benediction it would be for the church today if the young could be so biblically literate and devout.

The New Testament ultimately stresses the priority of worship. To Satan’s blasphemous temptation to worship him, Jesus replied, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” (Matt. 4:10). Hebrews 10:24–25 urges believers to come together to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds,” since they, “as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Because God created them to worship Him, all people are inherently worshipers. The object of one’s worship determines his or her eternal destiny. The Old Testament condemns idolatry, that is, the worship of anyone other than the true God (e.g., Ex. 20:3, 23; 34:14; Pss. 81:9; 106:35–36), and makes it clear that it was Israel’s persistent idolatry (e.g., Judg. 2:12–13, 17, 19; 3:5–7; 10:6; 1 Kings 15:12; 16:13; 21:25–26) that eventually led to the nation’s destruction and captivity (cf. 2 Kings 17:6–12; 21:11–14). The New Testament reveals idolatry to be the inevitable response of those who deny the true God (Rom. 1:18–23). But the worship of false deities is not the only form of idolatry. There are idols in the heart of even the most hardened atheist, such as acceptance, fame, health, power, prestige, and wealth, among many others.

Idolatry, however, is not limited to the worship of false gods; it also encompasses attempting to worship the true God in an unacceptable manner. Moses’s receiving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai was interrupted by a shocking display of idolatry:

The Israelites were not worshiping a pagan deity, but had reduced the true God to an image—something God strictly forbids (Deut. 4:14–18). The result was a threat of deadly judgment (Ex. 32:10) and its execution (vv. 28–35).

Instead of following the prescribed regulations for worship, Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu (probably while drunk; cf. Lev. 10:9) “offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them” (Lev. 10:1). God was not pleased with their innovative worship, “and fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (v. 2).

After anxiously watching the Philistine forces mustering for battle while his own men were deserting him, Saul finally took matters into his own hands. Samuel had instructed the king to wait seven days, until he came to offer sacrifices (1 Sam. 10:8). But when the seven days were up and Samuel had not appeared, Saul rationalized that “the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.” Therefore, usurping the role of a priest, Saul “forced [himself] and offered the burnt offering” (1 Sam. 13:12). That willful failure to worship God properly was to cost Saul everything:

Twenty years after the Philistines returned the ark of the covenant to Israel (1 Sam. 7:1), David decided to transport it to Jerusalem. Ignoring God’s instructions on how to carry the ark (it was to be carried on poles; cf. Num. 4:5–6), the people placed it on an ox cart (2 Sam. 6:3) and celebrated as the ark set out for Jerusalem (v. 5). But the joyous mood was abruptly shattered when Uzzah “reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God” (vv. 6–7). Uzzah’s seeming reverence for the Lord was actually a direct violation of His command not to touch the ark on pain of death (Num. 4:15). The drastic consequence of Uzzah’s disobedience graphically illustrates that God does not accept any variant or, self-styled alteration of His instructions for worship (cf. Isa. 1:11–20; Amos 5:21–27; Hos. 6:4–7; Mal. 1:6–14; Matt. 15:1–9; 23:23–28; Mark 7:6–7).

The redeemed, on the other hand, manifest acceptable worship. They are, according to Philippians 3:3, those who “worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (cf. John 4:23). Worship that is acceptable to God has many elements. In Romans 15:16, Paul used the language of worship to describe his evangelistic ministry to the lost, calling himself “a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that [his] offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Leading a “tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2) is also an act of worship, since it is “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (v.3).

Central to worshiping God is praise. The writer of Hebrews exhorts his readers to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15). Worship also includes “doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (v. 16). The apostle Paul notes that even the seemingly mundane act of meeting financial needs is an act of worship. Thanking the Philippians for their gift he wrote, “But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18).

True worship as defined by our Lord has two components: it is, He said, to be “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24). Worship in spirit is genuine, unfeigned, from the heart, as opposed to mere outward ritual. In his classic work The Existence and Attributes of God, the seventeenth-century English Puritan Stephen Charnock wrote,

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,” wrote David, “and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Ps. 103:1; cf. 51:15–17). In Romans 1:9, Paul wrote, “God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you.”

The Bible reveals a number of prerequisites for worshiping in spirit. First and foremost, a true worshiper must be controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. That, of course, presupposes salvation, since those who are not saved do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32; Rom. 8:5–9), and thus cannot worship God. Second, to worship in spirit requires that the thoughts be focused on God. Worship flows out of an undivided (Ps. 86:11) mind filled with and meditating on the truth of God’s Word (Josh. 1:8; Pss. 1:2; 4:4; 63:6; 77:6, 12; 119:15, 23, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148). Third, worship in spirit requires repentance, since sin hinders fellowship and communion with God. Thus David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:23–24). Finally, to worship God in spirit requires humbly accepting His will no matter what the circumstances (cf. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son; Gen. 22:1–18).

Worship must also be in truth. As noted above, God rejects self-styled worship that is inconsistent with His revealed truth. The only source of that truth is His Word (John 17:17; cf. Ps. 119:142, 160), so only worship consistent with Scripture is acceptable to Him.

Hebrews 10:22 summarizes the approach of true worshipers to God: They are sincere (they “draw near with a sincere heart”), faithful (“in full assurance of faith”), humble (“having … hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience”), and pure (having “bodies washed with pure water”). As a result of such worship God will be glorified (Ps. 50:23), believers purified (Ps. 24:3–4), and the lost evangelized (Acts 2:47).

As noted in the previous chapter of this volume, Mary is an example to all believers of faith, humility, and submission to God’s will. This section of Luke’s gospel reveals that she also modeled true, acceptable worship. After hearing the astonishing news from the angel Gabriel that she was to be the mother of the Messiah (see chapters 4 and 5 of this volume), Mary immediately went to visit her older relative Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant with John the Baptist (1:36). There God confirmed that His promise to her through Gabriel would indeed come to pass (see the exposition of 1:39–45 in chapter 6 of this volume). God’s confirmation erased Mary’s doubts, answered her questions, and strengthened her faith. Verses 46–55, known as the Magnificat (from the first word of the Latin text), record her outburst of praise and worship in response.

Mary’s hymn is filled with allusions to Scripture, revealing that her heart and mind were saturated with the Old Testament. It echoes Hannah’s prayers (1 Sam. 1:11; 2:1–10) and prayers in the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and the writings of the prophets.

For example, Mary began in verse 46 by saying, “My soul exalts the Lord,” which echoes Psalm 34:2, “My soul shall make its boast in the Lord.” Her reference to God as her Savior (v. 47) is reminiscent of such Old Testament passages as 2 Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 43:11; 45:21; 49:26; 60:16; and Hosea 13:4, while her statement, “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave” (v. 48) reflects Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 1:11 (cf. Ps. 136:23). Mary’s exclamation, “for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed” echoes Leah’s words in Genesis 30:13. Her declaration, “For the Mighty One has done great things for me” has Old Testament roots (cf. Ps. 126:3), as does the following statement, “holy is His name” (cf. Pss. 99:3; 111:9).

Mary’s hymn also reveals that she was well-versed in the history of Israel. She spoke of God’s having “done mighty deeds with His arm” (v. 51), including “scatter[ing] those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart (v. 51), “[bringing] down rulers from their thrones” (v. 52), “exalt[ing] those who were humble” (v. 52), “fill[ing] the hungry with good things; and [sending] away the rich empty-handed” (v. 53).

Mary also understood the rich theological truth of the Abrahamic covenant. She knew that God “has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy,” in keeping with the promise He made “to Abraham and his descendants forever” (vv. 54–55). Jesus taught that “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matt. 12:34), and Mary’s words were the outflow of a heart steeped in God’s Word.

Mary’s praise is the expression of her faith in God, her love for Him, and her deep understanding of Scripture. The result is an example of worship for all believers to emulate, as she displays the attitude, object, and motive of worship.

THE ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP

And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; (1:46–48a)

Mary’s example of the proper attitude of worship unfolds in four points.

First, worship is internal. Mary’s worship was with her soul and spirit. The two terms are interchangeable, and refer to the inner person. True worship, worship in spirit (John 4:24), involves the whole inner being—mind, emotion, and will. Like the instruments in a great orchestra, all of Mary’s thoughts and emotions came together in a crescendo of praise.

On the other hand shallow, superficial worship is intolerable to God. In Isaiah 29:13, the Lord rebuked the people of Israel for their external, ritualistic perversion of true worship, declaring that they “draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.” Jesus applied this passage to the hypocritical worshipers of His day (Matt. 15:7–9). In Isaiah 48:1, God declared, “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel and who came forth from the loins of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel, but not in truth nor in righteousness.” Jeremiah complained to God regarding his fellow Israelites, “You are near to their lips but far from their mind” (Jer. 12:2). “They come to you as people come,” the Lord cautioned Ezekiel, “and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain” (Ezek. 33:31). Through the prophet Amos God declared to Israel,

True worship is not only internal, but also intense. Exalts translates a form of the verb megalunō, which literally means, “to make great,” “to magnify” (hence Magnificat) or “to enlarge;” figuratively it means, “to extol,” “to exalt,” “to celebrate,” “to esteem highly,” “to praise,” or “to glorify.” Rejoiced, from the verb agalliaō, is another intense word. It is an expression of supreme joy; in Luke 10:21 and Acts 16:34, it is translated “rejoiced greatly” (cf. 1 Peter 1:6, 8). True worship is spontaneous, not staged; heartfelt, not artificial; God-centered, not self-focused; mental, not just emotional; it seeks to honor God, not to manipulate Him. Mary praised God not only for what He was doing in her life, but also for all that He was going to accomplish through the coming of Messiah.

A third characteristic of genuine worship is that it is habitual; it is a way of life. The present tense form of the verb megalunō (exalts) suggests that worship happened naturally, continuously in the flow of Mary’s life. Fluctuating circumstances do not affect true worship, because God does not change (Mal. 3:6), neither does His word (Mark 13:31), His purposes (Isa. 43:13), His promises (2 Cor. 1:20), or His salvation (Heb. 5:9; 7:25). Nor is believers’ responsibility to give thanks in everything (Eph. 5:20; 1 Thess. 5:18) contingent on satisfaction with life’s circumstances. No matter what was happening in his life, David could say, “I have set the Lord continually before me” (Ps. 16:8). No one exemplified that attitude of continuous worship more than Paul, whose goal, as he wrote to the Philippians, was that “Christ [would always] be exalted in [his] body, whether by life or by death” (Phil 1:20).

Finally, genuine internal worship is marked by humility. The two great hindrances of worship are ignorance, which makes it feeble and ineffectual, and pride, which renders it hypocritical. Those with a shallow, superficial knowledge of God cannot worship Him in the fullest sense because they do not grasp His greatness. But the proud cannot truly worship Him at all, since pride is in reality the worship of self. God tolerates no rivals, which is why the first of the Ten Commandments is, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3; cf. Isa. 42:8). Thus “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6), because “everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 16:5; cf. 15:25; Ps. 31:23; Isa. 2:11–12; 13:11; 1 Peter 5:5).

Proud people find it difficult to be thankful because they always think they deserved better. They remember the wrongs (real or imagined) done to them and seek revenge. Constantly mulling over their alleged mistreatment fills them with a spirit of bitterness, which is incompatible with true worship.

The humble, on the other hand, knowing they deserve nothing, recognize their spiritual bankruptcy, mourn over their sin, and hunger and thirst for righteousness from God, knowing they have none of their own. They have a profound sense of gratitude toward and love for God, which results in worship.

Mary was such a humble person. Her exclamation, “He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave,” expressed her wonder and amazement that God would choose to bless her. She knew that she was a sinner, in need of God’s mercy and grace. Far from viewing herself as the exalted, quasi-deified queen of heaven Roman Catholicism imagines her to be, Mary viewed herself as a lowly bondslave (cf. v. 38). The Greek word is doulē, the feminine form of the word meaning “slave.” She is the first in the New Testament to identify herself as the Lord’s slave—a designation that becomes the norm for the saints (cf. 2:29; 1 Cor. 7:22; Eph. 6:6; Rev. 1:1)

Giving further evidence of her humility, Mary expressed amazement that God would have regard for her humble state. Socially, she was an ordinary girl from an insignificant Galilean village (Nazareth) scorned by other Israelites (cf. John 1:46). Mary was thus far removed from society’s elite in Judea and Jerusalem. Even after becoming the mother of the Messiah, she never became prominent. Jesus treated her with respect, but made it clear that she had no special claim on Him (John 2:4; Matt. 12:46–50). Nor did the early church elevate her to a special position, or bestow any particular honors on her. The only New Testament reference to her after the scene at the cross (John 19:25–27) was as just another one of the believers gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:14).

This ordinary young woman was engaged to a very ordinary young man. Though Joseph, like Mary, was of the line of David, he was merely a common laborer. It was because they viewed His family as nothing more than plain, average people that the villagers of Nazareth took offense at Jesus’ claims (Matt. 13:54–57).

But Mary’s humble state involved more than just her standing in Jewish society; it had to do with her spiritual character. She acknowledged that she, like everyone, was a sinner, in need of a Savior. Like all true worshipers, Mary had a lofty view of the Lord and a lowly view of herself. If she was the most exalted of women (cf. the exposition of 1:42 in the previous chapter of this volume), she at the same time was the most humble of women (cf. Luke 14:11). It is such humility that God requires and blesses (cf. James 4:6). In Isaiah 57:15 God said, “Thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”

So Mary demonstrated the proper attitude in worship. She was joyful and grateful because of God’s mercy to her. Her humble awareness of her utter unworthiness and God’s marvelous grace to her produced praise and worship from her grateful heart.

THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP

the Lord … God my Savior (1:46b, 47b)

Mary’s worship of the Lord centered primarily on His role as her Savior. The central theme of all believers’ worship must be the reality that God is the Savior from sin and judgment. If that were not so, it would be impossible to worship Him, as impossible as it is for all who live in eternal torment in hell. If God were not a saving, redeeming, forgiving God, people might dread Him and attempt to pacify or appease Him, but not worship Him.

Mary knew that the coming of Messiah marked the apex of redemptive history. Her Son would “save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21; cf. John 1:29), because the purpose for His coming was “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The thrilling reality that through her the Messiah would be born into the world prompted Mary to praise and worship her Redeemer.

THE REASONS FOR WORSHIP

For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” (1:48b–55)

Three reasons or motives for Mary’s praise emerge from her magnificent hymn.

Mary was motivated first because the Mighty One had done great things for her (cf. 1:30–35)—things so staggering and wonderful that all succeeding generations would count her blessed. To be the mother of the Messiah was an honor greater than any bestowed on any woman before or since. And, as noted above, the reality that she, an unworthy sinner, saved only by God’s grace could also bear the Son of God prompted her worship. That the One whose name is holy would condescend to save wretched sinners will be the theme of believers’ worship throughout eternity (cf. Rev. 5:9).

Mary’s praise went beyond herself to embrace all that God would do for others in the future. Once again demonstrating her familiarity with the Old Testament, she quoted Psalm 103:17: “And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him.” She praised God for the common salvation (cf. Jude 3) offered to all who fear Him—the saved, who are filled with a deep, reverent regard for the person and will of God and are committed to glorifying Him.

The final section of Mary’s hymn recounts what God had done for His people in the past (cf. the seven aorist tense verbs in vv. 51–54). Consistent with Jewish worship, which not only recited God’s attributes, but also recounted His mighty deeds, Mary praised Him for what He had done for Israel. As she did so, she noted first that God had scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. Perhaps she had in mind Pharaoh’s arrogance (Ex. 5:2) and God’s subsequent destruction of his army and deliverance of His people (Ex. 15:1–21). Mary may also have been thinking of Nebuchadnezzar, who “when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him” (Dan. 5:20). Afterwards the thoroughly chastened king acknowledged that the Lord “is able to humble those who walk in pride” (Dan. 4:37). God had also brought down rulers from their thrones (perhaps a reference to the Canaanite rulers defeated by Joshua; [e.g., Josh. 10:23–26; cf. Job 34:24; Ps. 107:40; Ezek. 21:25–26]), and exalted those who were humble (cf. 14:11; 18:14; Gen. 45:26; 1 Sam. 2:6–8; Job 5:11; Pss. 78:70–71; 113:7–8). In His mercy and grace, God filled the hungry with good things (cf. Pss. 34:10; 107:8–9; 146:7); in judgment He sent away the rich empty-handed (cf. 6:24; 18:24–25).

Mary’s overview of Israel’s history reveals that God repeatedly overturned the normal order, illustrating the truth He expressed in Isaiah 55:8–9: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Throughout the nation’s history, He gave help to Israel His servant (cf. 1:71; Pss. 98:3; 106:10) because of His mercy (v. 72; Isa. 63:9; Jer. 31:20; 33:25–26; Ezek. 39:25).

Mary viewed all of redemptive history as the outworking of the covenant which He spoke to the fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever (Gen. 12:1–3; Ex. 2:24; Lev. 26:42; 2 Kings 13:23; 1 Chron. 16:14–16; Ps. 105:9; Acts 3:25). The salvation promised in that covenant would be clarified in the new covenant (Jer. 31:31–34) and would be ratified through the death of the very Child she carried in her womb. For it is only through the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ that all the sins of the redeemed—past, present, and future—are atoned for (Matt. 20:28; John 10:15; Rom. 3:24–26; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; 5:2; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14; Heb. 7:27; 9:26, 28; 10:12; 1 Peter 1:18–19; 2:24; 3:18; Rev. 1:5). That covenant reality forms a fitting conclusion to Mary’s hymn of praise.