It would be hard to imagine a Christmas without our favorite carols. These much-loved songs focus our hearts on the reason for the season. In Luke 1, we find the very first Christmas carol. Mary’s song in verses 39–56 is sometimes called the Magnificat. This title is based on the Latin translation of Mary’s first sentence: “My soul glorifies the Lord.”

While Luke writes that Mary “said” rather than sang these verses, her words are a song (v. 39). The form is clearly poetic. Mary’s hymn is similar to what we find in the book of Psalms. Here she praises God’s might, goodness, and mercy. In particular, she celebrates God’s exaltation of the lowly, which is also how Mary viewed herself (v. 48).

Mary’s words demonstrate a sense of history. She clearly understood what God had already done for His people. She saw Jesus’ promised birth as a continuation of the grace shown by God to His people in the past (v. 50). There is also a political sensibility in her song that reflects the national experience of her people. Like many others, she initially expected and longed for a deliverer like Moses, who would rescue her people from their enemies.

The surprising order of God’s kingdom, depicted in verses 51–53, was fleshed out later by Jesus in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:3–10; Luke 6:20– 26). Mary would soon learn that Jesus was more than a national deliverer; He would be the One to deliver us from the oppression of sin. He does what we cannot do for ourselves. Mary’s hymn of praise echoes Psalm 118:14: “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” Where Jesus is concerned, this is literally true. Perhaps this is why she declared that “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (v. 47).

Donate to Today in the Word: https://give.todayintheword.org/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.