Hannah’s Prayer of Praise
1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT
2:1 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
2 No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
4 The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
5 Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
6 The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
8 He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.
9 “He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
10 Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”
Examine the Scriptures
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise
Hannah’s prayer is also known as a song or a poem.
Hannah’s prayer celebrates Samuel’s dedication to the Lord’s service.
Hannah’s prayer is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.
There are similarities between Hannah’s Prayer of Praise and Mary’s Song of Praise (Luke 1:46-55) and some commentators say Mary incorporated parts of Hannah’s prayer into her song of praise.
This song has sometimes been termed the “Magnificat of the OT” since it is so similar to the Magnificat of the NT (Mary’s song).
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise and Mary’s Song of Praise both emphasize God bringing down the rich and powerful and exalting the poor and downtrodden.
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise also has similarities to David’s Song of Praise in 2 Samuel 22.
It also has certain resemblances to the “Benedictus” (the song of Zechariah, Luke 1:67-79).
Consider the reasons this prayer is included in Scripture.
A Model Prayer of Praise – Full of theology
Themes:
Attributes of God.
How God treats people.
(It is not a prayer about Samuel.)
2:1 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
This was a prayer of joy, unlike her prayer in chapter one.
1 Samuel 1:10 NLT
10 Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.
The source of Hannah’s joy is not the child, but in God who has answered her prayer.
Hannah has been delivered from disgrace to a position of honor and strength.
Philippians 4:4-8 ESV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Isaiah 61:10 NLT
10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
or a bride with her jewels.
A reminder to:
-
- Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
The Lord has made me strong.
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Psalm 23:4 NLT
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
Philippians 4:13 NLT
13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Psalm 18:1-2 NLT
1 I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
Isaiah 12:2 NLT
2 See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.”
Isaiah 40:31 NLT
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Habakkuk 3:19 NLT
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.
Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
1 God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
Joshua 1:9 NLT
9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
-
- God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT)
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
This prayer can be used by Hannah to respond to her enemies (Peninnah).
The Lord gave Hannah words to say.
I rejoice because you rescued me.
More rejoicing.
Psalm 5:11 NLT
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
Philippians 4:4 NLT
4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Psalm 66:1 NLT
1 Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!
- I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
2 No one is holy like the Lord!
Hannah recognized the fact that God was a holy God.
Isaiah 6:1-3 NLT
6:1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
Revelation 4:6-8 NLT
(A portion of John’s vision)
6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
A reminder that God is holy, perfect, and without sin.
-
- “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)
There is no one besides you;
Isaiah 44:6 NLT
6 This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:
“I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God.
Isaiah 45:5-6 NLT
5 I am the Lord;
there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
though you don’t even know me,
6 so all the world from east to west
will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Jeremiah 10:6 NLT
6 Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.
God is unique.
-
- Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (Jeremiah 10:6 NLT)
there is no Rock (strength) like our God.
A Rock symbolizes strength, stability, and security.
Hannah recognized God’s uniqueness.
Psalm 18:31 NLT
31 For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
Isaiah 44:8 NLT
8 Do not tremble; do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago?
You are my witnesses—is there any other God?
No! There is no other Rock—not one!”
A reminder that God is the stability in our lives.
-
- There is no other God. There is no other Rock-not one.
3 “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
Peninnah typified this attitude.
1 Samuel 1:6-7
6 So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. 7 Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.
This also typifies the attitudes of Eli’s sons, the Philistines, Saul, Nabal, Goliath, Absalom, Shimei and Sheba as recorded in 1st and 2nd Samuel.
By contrast Hannah was humbly dependent on God.
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
Psalm 147:5 NLT
5 How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
1 John 3:20 NLT
20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.
he will judge your actions.
- The Lord is an all-knowing, righteous judge.
God humbles the proud.
God exalts the humble.
4 The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
5 Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
God often works contrary to natural expectations and brings about surprising reversals.
The childless woman now has seven children,
Seven children communicates the picture of a women blessed with a house full of children.
1 Samuel 2:21 NLT
21 And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
and the woman with many children wastes away.
The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
8 He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.
Hannah celebrated God’s sovereign ability to radically reverse human circumstances.
The Lord demonstrates His sovereignty in human affairs.
- Life and death, as well as prosperity and adversity are all determined by the sovereignty of God.
9 “He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
God is able to reverse fortunes.
The Lord blesses His faithful ones, but brings the wicked to destruction.
10 Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
- The Lord will impose His righteous rule on all the nations and peoples.
- Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”
Scripture frequently has multiple messages.
This is prophetic, anticipating the establishment of kingship in Israel. The kings of Israel, especially David, foreshadowed the Lord’s ultimate anointed king, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Luke 1:69 NLT
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior
from the royal line of his servant David,
***********************
- Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
- God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT)
- I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
- “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)
- LORD, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (Jeremiah 10:6 NLT)
- There is no other God. There is no other Rock-not one.
- The Lord is an all-knowing righteous judge.
God humbles the proud.
God exalts the humble.
- Life and death, as well as prosperity and adversity are all determined by the sovereignty of God.
- The Lord will impose His righteous rule on all the nations and peoples.
- Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered.
