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Mary's Song

Mary’s song is a poem of praise to God. She speaks about what God has done for her, what God is like, and how God helps humble people and remembers his mercy to Israel.

Luke 1:46–56Read together with an adultSong
A lyre beside an olive tree and a stream, companion artwork for biblical poetry

Understanding the passage

Read these words in context

This passage gives Mary’s words as a song, then briefly tells us she stayed about three months and returned home. Within the song, Mary speaks personally about God her Saviour and also broadly about God’s mercy, strength, and help for Israel and Abraham’s offspring.

Luke 1:46–56

Main takeaway

Mary’s song praises God for his mercy, power, and faithful help to humble people and to Israel.

Explore the poem and its images

Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.

01Mary begins with personal praiseMary starts by saying her whole inner life praises God: her soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God her Saviour.

Explanation

Mary starts by saying her whole inner life praises God: her soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God her Saviour. “Magnifies” means she speaks of the Lord as great. Her joy is directed to God himself, not to her own importance.

Luke 1:46Luke 1:47
02God has looked on his humble servantMary says God has looked at her humble state. She calls herself his servant, showing a lowly position before him.

Explanation

Mary says God has looked at her humble state. She calls herself his servant, showing a lowly position before him. She also says future generations will call her blessed because the Mighty One has done great things for her. God’s name is holy.

Luke 1:48Luke 1:49
03God’s mercy lasts across generationsThe song widens from Mary’s own experience to God’s character. His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.

Explanation

The song widens from Mary’s own experience to God’s character. His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him. Mary then describes God as strong, able to scatter the proud, especially in the imagination of their hearts.

Luke 1:50Luke 1:51
04God overturns human statusMary describes a striking reversal. Princes are brought down from thrones, while the lowly are lifted up.

Explanation

Mary describes a striking reversal. Princes are brought down from thrones, while the lowly are lifted up. The hungry are filled with good things, and the rich are sent away empty. The poem highlights God’s care for those in need and his opposition to human pride.

Luke 1:52Luke 1:53
05God remembers mercy to IsraelAt the end, Mary says God has helped Israel, his servant, remembering mercy as he spoke to the fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.

Explanation

At the end, Mary says God has helped Israel, his servant, remembering mercy as he spoke to the fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever. After the song, the passage adds that Mary stayed about three months and then returned to her house.

Luke 1:54Luke 1:55Luke 1:56

Questions to explore

Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.

01What words show that Mary’s praise comes from deep within her?

Look for the two parts of Mary named in her opening lines and notice what each one does toward God.

Luke 1:46Luke 1:47
02How does Mary describe the kinds of people God brings down and the kinds of people he lifts or fills?

Compare the pairs in the middle of the song: proud and lowly, princes and lowly, hungry and rich.

Luke 1:51Luke 1:52Luke 1:53
03How does the ending connect God’s help in the present with his earlier words to Israel and Abraham?

Notice the phrases about helping Israel, remembering mercy, and speaking to the fathers and to Abraham’s offspring.

Luke 1:54Luke 1:55

Read the Bible passage

World English Bible Classic

Scripture quotation · Public domain

Luke 1:46–56

46Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

47My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

48for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

49For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

50His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.

51He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.

53He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.

54He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,

55as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.”

56Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

Source passages

Source: Luke 1 ↗
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