"Song of Hannah, Part II"
1Samuel 2:4-10

July 22, 2007
by C.W. Powell

“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. 2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3 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. 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 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. 6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8 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. 9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10 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.” (1Sa 2:1-10 AV)

As we saw last week, this great Song of Hannah in which she rejoices at the birth of Samuel, whom she had asked of the Lord, is one of four great songs, or prayers, of women that are in the Bible: the Songs of Miriam, of Deborah, of Hannah, and of the Virgin Mary. Miriam rejoiced when the Egyptians were overthrown in the Sea; Deborah rejoiced at the overthrow of Sisera and the Midianites by Deborah and Barak; Hannah rejoices at the birth of Samuel; Mary rejoices at her conception of the Lord Jesus. The song of Hannah is very similar to the song of the Virgin and it also reveals a great deal about the character and faith of Hannah.

You will remember that Elkanah was a Levite who had two wives: Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah lorded it over Hannah and tormented her a great deal, because Hannah had no children, while Peninnah had many. It was especially vexing to Hannah at the times that the family made the annual journey to Shilah to offer the yearly sacrifices. One year, Hannah goes into the tabernacle to worship and to pray—she prays for a son which, in turn, she will dedicate to the Lord, to be brought up under the care of the high priest Eli. God answers her prayers, and after her son Samuel is weaned, she brings him to Eli, and offers this prayer before the Lord, in thanksgiving and praise to God. As we saw last week, in looking at the first three verses, Hannah speaks:

Verse 1: her heart, her strength, her mouth, her salvation.
Verse 2: No one is holy like the Lord; none is a rock like He: A rock that supplies everything that the people of God need.
Verse 3: She rebukes arrogance and pride, and reminds us that God is a God of knowledge. He knows the truth about everything, for He created all things.

I want to look at the rest of this prayer of Hannah today, and make some applications. First of all, let us look at the words themselves.

I. The words themselves:

A. The overthrow of the mighty and the exaltation of the weak and poor.

1Samuel 2:4,5: 4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 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.
1. The Lord delights in abasing the proud and giving strength to the weak.
2. The Lord hates the bully and the cruel. Those who have no mercy receive no mercy. The Lord is a defender of the weak and helpless.

B. It is the Lord who puts down and who elevates: 1Samuel 2:6-8:

6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 8 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.

1. Life and death are both in the hands of God
2. Economic success or failure are both in the hands of God.
3. High station and low station in life are both in the hands of God.
4. The Pillars of the earth are the LORD’S. HE has set the foundations and the support of everything and everybody. What do you have that you did not receive. You will live and prosper and continue only so far and to the extend that God has established.

C. It is the Lord’s strength alone that upholds man in all these things. 1Samuel 2:9:

He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

D. All this will and does come to pass through the decree of God and through the power of His anointed, the Lord Jesus.1Samuel 2:10:

“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”

As our catechism says:

Q31: Why is He called "Christ," that is, Anointed?

A31: Because He is ordained of God the Father and anointed with the Holy Ghost [1] to be our chief Prophet and Teacher,[2] who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption;[3] and our only High Priest,[4] who by the one sacrifice of His body has redeemed us, and ever lives to make intercession for us with the Father;[5] and our eternal King, who governs us by His Word and Spirit, and defends and preserves us in the redemption obtained for us.[6]

1. The anointed with oil for these offices in the Old Testament represented the coming of the Holy Ghost. Christ was given the Holy Spirit without measure, so that we might receive the benefit of his work as Prophet, Priest, and King.

2. As our chief prophet, the Lord Jesus has revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption. We would never have known Christ died for our sins if it had not been revealed to us by teaching of Christ and the preaching of the holy apostles by that same Spirit of God.

3. Christ performs for us the office of High Priest: for He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sins and constantly prays for us: He made peace with God the Father so that we can truly worship Him who created the heavens and the earth.

4. The Lord Jesus is King over all the nations and all things. He rules by his Word and Spirit, for His kingdom is not of the world; but He defends and preserves us in the redemption that He purchased for us by His blood.

II. What is the Application that we can make to our understanding of Hannah’s Prayer?

A. Hannah was a woman of deep faith.

1. Her faith: was based on knowledge and not wishful thinking.

2. She knew the character and nature of God.

3. She is the first to give the Son of God his name, Messiah, or anointed. The anointing had only been for the priest until that time. Aaron and his descendants were anointed to be priests, and Eli was the anointed high priest during this time, bgut his house was corrupt and little was to be expected from him.

4. But a new office in Israel was being established: that of prophet. Samuel would be the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. The prophetic office had been predicted by Moses who said that God would raise up a prophet like unto him. That time had now come, and Hannah realizes that her son Samuel would be anointed of God to be a prophet of God, the first in a long line of prophets having their center and fulfillment in the Great Prophet Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. But Hannah also anticipated the coming of the king, for she speaks of him here, the third office for which men were anointed. Hannah’s son, Samuel, would anoint both the first and second kings of Israel: Saul and David. David would be a man after God’s own heart, who would receive the promise that the Messiah would come from his family and inherit a kingdom that would never fail, but would continue forever.

6. Hannah’s knowledge made her strong in the Lord and enabled her to endure trials and have her character deepened by them.

B. Hannah was a woman of deep piety.

1. By piety we mean the open exercise and practice of true religion. The ceremonies, yes, but more important the truth to which those ceremonies point: true religion from the heart and the sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit; of faith; and awareness of sin and redemption.

2. How reverently she speak and prays—nothing shallow of frivolous in all of this hymn of praise.

3. She had not been harmed by the persecution and trials that she had endured, but she had been deepened in her knowledge and understanding of the Gospel of Christ—She expresses the hope that had been given to the world at the time Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden: that a redeemer was coming who would bruise the head of the serpent and deliver men from bondage to sin and death. She speaks of Christ and the promise of deliverance. Hers is not the blinding light that came with the coming of Christ; but it is true light indeed: the light that lighteth every man that comes into the world, according to the Apostle John.

C. There is great instruction for us. The chief lesson is in HC 32:

Q32: But why are you called a Christian?

A32: Because by faith I am a member of Christ [1] and thus a partaker of His anointing,[2] in order that I also may confess His Name,[3] may present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him,[4] and with a free conscience may fight against sin and the devil in this life,[5] and hereafter in eternity reign with Him over all creatures.[6]

1. Ok, we know why Jesus is called Christ: because He is anointed to be our Prophet, Priest, and King. But why are you called a Christian:

2. Because you partake of His anointing: Jesus came to baptize with the Holy Ghost; that you might receive the very same Spirit that He received, so that you could also be prophets, priests, and kings unto the true and the living God.

a. Jesus, your prophet, has revealed the truth: You and I are called to confess this truth. We are confessors of Jesus Christ. How do you confess the truth?

(1). By making public confession that you are a believer. Jesus said: If you confess me before men…

(2). By making the decisions of life in terms of this truth. You live as though the truth you confess really matters. Not to do so is like a man getting married, confessing that he loves his wife, and then refusing to live with her, take care of her, be with her, support her, defend her. How can he love his wife and be indifferent to her? If he loves his wife, every decision he makes will be for her happiness, her joy, and her benefit. So is the life of a Christian. Everything is to be done for the glory of God, for the love of Jesus Christ, and for the faith of the Gospel.

b. Jesus your priest has given Himself as a sacrifice for you and prays for you constantly.

(1). Because you are a partaker of the same Spirit, you are called to offer yourself as a living sacrifice for the people of God. You are to seek the good of the people of God. You are not to seek your own comfort, your own pleasure, your own advantage, but the good and advantage of the people of God:

(2). As the catechism says again on the matter of the communion of the saints:

Q54: What do you believe concerning the "Holy Catholic Church"?

A54: That out of the whole human race,[1] from the beginning to the end of the world,[2] the Son of God,[3] by His Spirit and Word,[4] gathers, defends and preserves for Himself unto everlasting life a chosen communion [5] in the unity of the true faith;[6] and that I am and forever shall remain a living member of this communion.[7]

Q55: What do you understand by the "communion of saints"?
A55: First, that believers, one and all, as members of the Lord Jesus Christ, are partakers with Him in all His treasures and gifts;[1] second, that each one must feel himself bound to use his gifts readily and cheerfully for the advantage and welfare of other members.[2]

(3). As the Scripture also says:

i. Romans 12:1,2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

ii. 1Cor. 6:19, 20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” AV)

iii. 1John 3:16: “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

(4). We are to serve one another and pray for one another for these are spiritual sacrifices that are well pleasing to God and they are not in vain in the Lord.

c. Jesus Christ, your king, rules you by His word and Spirit.

(1). We are sons of God because we are led by the Spirit of God. The flesh follows the spirit of the world, the flesh, and the devil; we have been set free from bondage to serve the living and true God. “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col 3:1-3 AV)

(2). We can fight against sin and the devil all our lives.

i. With a free conscience, the catechism says. We are forgiven our sins. There is an important passage in Revelation “10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Re 12:10-11 AV)

· This is the end of the story: the end in Heaven for the child of God.

· Their main struggle against sin involves guilt and misery. Satan is the accuser of the brethren.

· We overcome our guilt and misery by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and not loving our lives unto the death: priest, prophet, and spiritual warfare under our king.

ii. We do not defeat the devil: He has already been defeated and cast out; what we do is proclaim that victory and live that victory and make our decisions in terms of that victory. Every small victory that we win in this world, as Hannah did, ought to be an occasion for our anticipation of revelation of the sons of God in the last day.

Jesus is our Messiah, our Prophet, Priest and King. Amen and Amen. May we live in the faith and hope of this great truth, seeing those things by faith that are unseen. God bless you.

Amen and Amen.