MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR

Passage: Luke 1:39-66

Key verse: 46-47

NIV

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,(A) 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.(B) 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,(C) and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord(D) should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song(E)

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord(F)
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(G)
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.(H)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(I)
49     for the Mighty One has done great things(J) for me—
    holy is his name.(K)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.(L)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(M)
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(N)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.(O)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(P)
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful(Q)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(R) forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise(S) the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”(T)

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

62 Then they made signs(U) to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”(V) 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,(W) praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea(X) people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.(Y)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into (A)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 (B)was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, (C)“Blessed are you among women, and (D)blessed is (E)the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of (F)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 (G)blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

46 And Mary said,

(H)“My (I)soul (J)magnifies the Lord,
47     (K)and my (L)spirit rejoices in (M)God my Savior,
48 for (N)he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations (O)will call me blessed;
49 for (P)he who is mighty (Q)has done great things for me,
    and (R)holy is his name.
50 And (S)his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
51 (T)He has shown strength with his arm;
    (U)he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 (V)he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    (W)and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled (X)the hungry with good things,
    and the rich (Y)he has sent away empty.
54 He has (Z)helped (AA)his servant Israel,
    (AB)in remembrance of his mercy,
55 (AC)as he spoke to our fathers,
    (AD)to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord (AE)had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And (AF)on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; (AG)he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And (AH)they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for (AI)a writing tablet and wrote, (AJ)“His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 (AK)And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue (AL)loosed, and he spoke, (AM)blessing God. 65 And (AN)fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all (AO)the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them (AP)laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For (AQ)the hand of the Lord was with him.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The angel Gabriel told Mary about her relative Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy. So Mary decided to visit her. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, called Mary “blessed” and “the mother of my Lord.” She blessed Mary for believing God’s promise to her.

Mary then burst out into a song of praise: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Her song echoes much of the song of Hannah (1Sa 2:1-1

), the mother of Samuel, who anointed Israel’s first kings. God blessed her humble state. God is mighty and holy. God was fulfilling his promises to Abraham and Israel.

John the Baptist was born and they were expecting him to be named Zechariah Jr. But Elizabeth said and Zechariah wrote, “His name is John,” just as they angel directed. Then Zechariah could speak again (his song is next).

Prayer: God of Abraham, our Father in heaven, we are indeed blessed to have received Jesus Christ into our world, and to be recipients of your mercy through him. Thank you for keeping your promises.

One Word: My spirit rejoices in God my Savior