HANNAH PRAISED THE LORD

1 Samuel 2:1-11 / Keywords 2:10

those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

 

Hannah’s Prayer

2:1 Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;

    in the Lord my horn[a] is lifted high.

My mouth boasts over my enemies,

    for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holy like the Lord;

    there is no one besides you;

    there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly

    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,

for the Lord is a God who knows,

    and by him deeds are weighed.

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,

    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,

    but those who were hungry are hungry no more.

She who was barren has borne seven children,

    but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;

    he brings down to the grave and raises up.

7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;

    he humbles and he exalts.

8 He raises the poor from the dust

    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes

    and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;

    on them he has set the world.

9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,

    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;

10     those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

The Most High will thunder from heaven;

    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king

    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy ministered before the Lord under Eli the priest.

Footnotes

a. 1 Samuel 2:1 Horn here symbolizes strength; also in verse 10.

1. Hannah was leaving her precious first born child Samuel to serve the Lord alongside Eli the high priest, according to her vows. And instead of being sad and heart-broken, she was filled with great joy and spiritual insight to praise the Lord.

 

2. Experiencing the Lord’s deliverance from her misery brought Hannah to have a deeper understanding of the Lord. She realized that the Lord was unique in his holy and mighty nature (2) who reverses circumstances (4,5), has authority to give and take life (6), and guides his faithful servants from all harm (9). Based on this deeper knowledge of the Lord, she also prophesied about a king who would be raised by the sovereign will of the Lord, who would be exalted because of the strength he receives from the Lord (1,10).

 

3. Hannah’s joy was not a petty one to make her enemy Peninnah speechless. She came to know the Lord, recognized herself as a faithful servant, and came to share in his vision for the world salvation plan. Do you also want to make this commitment to have a covenant relationship with the Lord? Bring your burden before him and see what great things he wants to show you.

 

Prayer Father, I praise and worship you for what you have done in my life. Please help me to grow in a deeper knowledge of you and praise your name.

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