Great Advent Prayers

Have you ever noticed the similarity in Hannah’s great prayer and Mary’s famous Magnificat prayer? The Lord raised up a prophet and savior in Samuel, through Hannah, and The Prophet and Savior in Jesus, through Mary.

It seems obvious that Mary was very familiar with Hannah’s prayer and probably had it memorized. Her prayer seems to be a summarized version of Hannah’s prayer. The Spirit used her own knowledge and experience to cause her to pray in a very similar fashion which ought to be a reminder to us to be steeped in God’s Word so that He can use us to carry out His will on Earth.

Hannah’s name means ‘favored’. Mary is the new Hannah, the highly favored and produces the greater Savior.

Blue Letters are Mary’s Prayer, the Magnificat, From Luke 1:46-55

Black Letters are Hannah’s Prayer from 1Sam. 2:1-10

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,  47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.  48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

2 Sam:1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.

1 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. 

50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 

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. 

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 

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. 

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

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. 

54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;  55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

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.