The Unexpected King
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
“And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.’” (Luke 1:46-55)
Mary’s song of praise reveals a very unexpected and unusual King. We picture a king in ornate robes, surrounded by nobility and wealth, but this King would be different. This King would bring down the mighty and lift up the poor. This King would feed the homeless and send away the rich. This king would rule with mercy, with generosity, with faithfulness. This King would honor his promises and remember his covenant. This King would satisfy our souls. He would help us in our distress. This King was coming to save us, to rule us not with an iron fist, but with a strong hand and an outstretched arm (Psalm 136:12). This King would be born not in a castle, but in a stable. The humility of Jesus from the moment of his incarnation is unfathomable. The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, is going to leave his throne in order to save his people.
Mary’s song perfectly captures her love for her savior, her understanding of all that was promised throughout scripture, now coming to fruition in her belly. Elizabeth’s proclamation that Mary was “blessed” must have taken Mary aback. To have your older cousin rejoice and stand in awe of you must have been a shock. Mary’s response is praise to God, knowing that He is at work to save his people and she is blessed to be used as his humble servant.
How do you respond when people see God at work in and through your life? Do you take the praise and pat yourself on the back? Or do you make known the greatness of God and shout praise at the confirmation that he is indeed using you? Sometimes it is so tempting to take credit ourselves, to be filled with pride and boast, as if we have anything to do with it. But Mary’s song of praise reminds us that it is the humble that will be exalted, and that pride will be our downfall. Let us fight the temptation of pride with praise and adoration of our Holy, Humble King.
