What Mary Believed About the Faithfulness of God Mattered.
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat Luke 1:46–55 (ESV)
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.”
Mary’s song, known as the Magnificat, is filled with deep echoes of the Old Testament Scriptures—at least 17 direct allusions or references. This reveals that Mary was not a casual believer; she was a woman who knew God intimately through His Word. Her profound understanding of Scripture and God’s character equipped her to respond with humble obedience when the angel announced that she would bear the Savior. Because she already knew the God who was calling her, she could embrace the extraordinary servant role He had chosen for her—a humble handmaiden bearing the Son of the Most High.
Throughout the Old Testament, God miraculously orchestrated births to prepare and empower His chosen servants: Isaac to aged Sarah, Moses preserved through danger, Samuel to once-barren Hannah. These stories were part of Israel’s sacred history, and Mary knew them well. Now, in the greatest of all God-ordained births, the virgin Mary would become the mother of Jesus. Her prior walk with God and mastery of Scripture enabled her to receive this calling with faith rather than fear.
Mary’s song reveals seven key truths she already knew about God—truths that prepared her heart to say, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
Mary’s Walk with God Prepared Her for Her Calling by God and Her Service for God.
1. Mary believed God is worthy of praise and the source of her joy (vv. 46–47) Magnifying God and rejoicing go hand in hand. Praise brings joy.
2. Mary understood God’s condescending grace (v. 48) He took notice of her humble condition and regarded her, blessing her so that all generations will call her blessed. God condescends to us in the ultimate way: “but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7).
3. Mary knew God’s generosity and kindness (v. 49) God’s name is mighty and holy, and He has done great things for her. God shows kindness to us: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4–5).
4. Mary believed in God’s enduring mercy (v. 50) His mercy extends from generation to generation to those who fear Him. God shows us mercy: “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). God’s mercy is for those who fear Him, drawing us to recognize our need for a Savior.
5. Mary depended on God’s mighty power (v. 51) He shows tremendous strength, scattering the proud—echoing His great deeds in the Old Testament, like rescuing Israel from Egypt. For us, “the gospel…is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
6. Mary trusted in God’s sovereign rule (vv. 52–53) He humbles the proud, exalts the lowly, and cares for the needy. God is sovereign: “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus…to keep the commandment unstained…until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality…” (1 Timothy 6:13–16). He gives life, will bring everything to pass at the proper time, and deserves eternal honor.
7. Mary had seen God’s unbreakable faithfulness (vv. 54–55) He has kept all His promises to Israel forever. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). God is faithful—nothing He promises will fail!
Mary did not know everything about what lay ahead—the sorrow at the cross, the glory of the resurrection, or the full scope of her Son’s ministry. Yet she could embrace the unknown because of what she already knew about God: He meets the humble, is generous, kind, merciful, powerful, sovereign, and faithful.
Because of this deep knowledge, Mary saw herself rightly—a humble servant blessed beyond measure. The angel’s troubling yet amazing news was received with joy rather than resistance. God had prepared her heart through years of walking with Him and meditating on His Word.
Mary knew the God who was asking her to serve in the greatest role ever given to a woman. And she knew that humanity’s deepest need—the need for a Savior—was being met through her obedience.
Do you know what Mary knew? Do you know God well enough to say, like her, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”?
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