Coming of the King 3: The Song of the King
For Meditation
There’s a whole lot of singing this time of year. Yet of all the wonderful Christmas songs, the virgin Mary may have written the first and the best of all.
In the passage that we're looking at this week, Mary travels to visit her relative Elizabeth. During the visit, she breaks out into what is now frequently called the Magnificat (“Magnificat” is the first word of the song in Latin, which just means “Magnify”). The song Mary sings is a song of praise to God in response to what He has done in her life and is doing for His people. She sings of transformation and revolution; the transformation in her own personal life because of God’s announcement to her, but also the revolution that God will bring in the world through King Jesus.
Through her song we learn how the message of Christmas can bring transformation to our own lives and bring hope into a seemingly hopeless world. “The Mighty One does great things for us!” (1:49).
Download our weekly worship guide by clicking the image below.
Luke 1:36-55
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[b] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
