1 Samuel 2:1-10
And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): The return which mankind, in general, makes to God for His mercies, is to idolize the gift, and forget the Giver. Directly opposite to this is the conduct of those who are truly pious: they value the gift only in proportion to its real worth, and rise in heavenly contemplations to the Donor Himself.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): It is very beautiful to see how the saints of old were accustomed to find comfort in their God. When they came into sore straits; when troubles multiplied; when helpers failed; when earthly comforts were removed, they went to the Lord and to the Lord alone. Thus Hannah thinks of the Lord and comforts herself in His name. By this means they were made strong and glad—they began to sing instead of sighing and to work wonders instead of fainting under their burdens even as here the Inspired poetess sings, “My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord.” To them God was a reality, a present reality, and they looked to Him as their rock of refuge, their helper and defense, a very present help in time of trouble.
WILLIAM JAY (1769-1853): We see Hannah had poetical talent, and which could be of no mean kind, since we find David, the chief Hebrew bard, not ashamed to borrow from her: “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people,” Psalm 113:7,8.
C. H. SPURGEON: She was a woman of a sweet poetic mind, perhaps the greatest poetess mentioned in Scripture. The song of the Virgin Mary was modeled after the song of Hannah—that memorable poem in which Mary sang of the Lord, “He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty,” Luke 1:52,53. Have you never noticed that in all these joyous songs to God, there is almost always one of these notes—that God abases the proud and exalts the humble? This was the basis of Hannah’s song. And it was the pith and marrow of Mary’s Magnificat—this wonderful turning of things upside down. This withering of the green tree and making the dry tree to flourish. This killing that which lives and quickening that which is dead. This emptying of the full, and filling of the empty. This casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting the poor out of the dust! This is always one of the highest reasons for exulting joy.
ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): Hannah is engaged to celebrate several of Jehovah’s divine perfections. First, His holiness.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): His unspotted purity. So here, in Hannah’s triumph, “There is none holy as the Lord.” It is the rectitude of His nature, His infinite agreement with Himself, and the equity of His government and judgment. At the remembrance of this we ought to give thanks.
STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1628-1680): Hannah, after an answer of prayer, sets a particular mark upon this in her song: “There is none holy as the Lord;”—separated from all dross, firm to His covenant, and righteous in it to His suppliants that confide in Him, and plead His word. When we observe the workings of this in every return of prayer, we honour it; it is a sign the mercy is really an answer of prayer, and not a mercy of course, bearing upon it only the characters of a common providence.
ROBERT HAWKER: Next, God’s Power.
MATTHEW HENRY: His Almighty Power: “Neither is there any rock like our God. Hannah had experienced a mighty support by staying herself upon Him, and therefore speaks as she had found, and seems to refer to what Moses said in Deuteronomy 32:31, “For their rock is not as our Rock.”
ROBERT HAWKER: Then, His Wisdom; and next, His Justice.
MATTHEW HENRY: His unsearchable wisdom: “The Lord,” the Judge of all, “is a God of knowledge;” He clearly and perfectly sees into the character of every person and the merits of every cause, and He gives knowledge and understanding to those that seek them of Him. And His unerring justice—“By him actions are weighed.” His own are so, in His eternal counsels; the actions of the children of men are so, in the balances of His judgment, so that He will “render to every man according to his work,” and is not mistaken in what any man is, or does.
THOMAS COKE (1747-1814): When Hannah says, that “the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,” she urges a strong reason in proof of all she had advanced; namely, that God, being the founder, supporter, and upholder of the earth itself, could certainly do with the inhabitants of it as He pleased.
C. H. SPURGEON: What a clear view Hannah had of the Sovereignty of God and how plainly she perceived that God overrules all mortal things and does as He wills! How she seemed to glory in the power of that almighty hand whose working unbelievers cannot discern, but which, to this gracious woman’s opened eyes, was so conspicuous everywhere!
ROBERT HAWKER: It is delightful to contemplate the astonishing perfections of God, as they are in Himself. But it is doubly so, when we contemplate them, as all pledged in covenant engagements, ready upon every occasion, to be brought forward into exercise, for the blessing and security of His people.
CHARLES SIMEON: She burst forth in this song of praise and thanksgiving, in which she takes occasion, from the mercy vouchsafed to her, (see 1 Samuel 1:20,27), to adore the goodness of God.
WILLIAM KELLY (1821-1906): In the things of God we ought never to hesitate to correct our expressions by Scripture. We have spoken of Hannah’s song; but we read, “And Hannah prayed.” It will be for our profit to enquire why her thanksgiving is called a prayer.
WILLIAM JAY: It is here said she “prayed;” but we find no supplication or petition; only praise and thanksgiving; but praise and thanksgiving are an essential part of prayer, and should always accompany it. Hence says Paul, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6,7.
MATTHEW HENRY: We have here Hannah’s thanksgiving, dictated, not only by the spirit of prayer, but by the spirit of prophecy. And here is the first time that we meet with the name Messiah, or His Anointed.
WILLIAM JAY: Hannah has even an allusion to the coming and character of the Messiah Himself. She certainly is the first who pronounces that “name which is above every name”—“anointed of the Lord.” It is no disproof of this supposition, that she might not understand the full evangelical import of the term. Prophets often delivered things which they afterwards searched in order to understand them. Finally, there is one sentence of promise, and threatening admonition, which we should always retain—“He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.”
ROBERT HAWKER: “So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord!” was the close of Deborah’s song, Judges 5:31, as it is here prophesied in the close of Hannah’s song.
