“My heart exults in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.” ~ 1 Samuel 2:1
This is the beginning of Hannah’s prayer of thankfulness to God for giving her a son.
She knew that all good things in life come from God.
So, let’s take a look at the prayer of Hannah as told in 1 Samuel and see how this song from the Bible relates to us today.
Hannah’s Prayer of Thankfulness – The Book of 1 Samuel
Then Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
My horn is exalted in the Lord,
My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
“There is no one holy like the Lord,
Indeed, there is no one besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.
“Boast no more so very proudly,
Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth;
For the Lord is a God of knowledge,
And with Him actions are weighed.
“The bows of the mighty are shattered,
But the feeble gird on strength.
“Those who were full hire themselves out for bread,
But those who were hungry cease to hunger.
Even the barren gives birth to seven,
But she who has many children languishes.
“The Lord kills and makes alive;
He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
“The Lord makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.
“He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
“He keeps the feet of His godly ones,
But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness;
For not by might shall a man prevail.
“Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered;
Against them He will thunder in the heavens,
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
And He will give strength to His king,
And will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.” ~ 1 Samuel 2:1-11 NASB
Hannah’s Thanks to God – Confidence in God
In the first verses, Hannah praised God because He answered her prayer for a son. She had confidence that God was the Almighty who could do or grant anything.
So, the song is basically a hymn of praise; not unlike the hymns we sing on Sundays.
A side note here is that Mary fashioned her song of praise after Hannah’s prayer. It’s called Mary’s Magnificat and you can find it in Luke. Mary lifted up this prayer right after her visit to Elizabeth:
“And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.” ~ Luke 1:46-55
Thankful to God for Our Gifts?
You and I (especially me) are quick to pray to God to grant our wishes or change situations in our lives. And we should.
God wants us to come to Him as children to ask for what we need.
But, what about after a prayer is answered? Do we immediately bow our heads and thank God for the gift He granted?
Many times, especially for answers to “big” prayers like sickness or family issues, yes we do.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t give prayers of thanks very often. Let me explain. Most of my “thankful” prayers are attached to a prayer for needs.
Mary and Hannah were confident in God and allowed Him to take control over their lives. This trust brought about the emergence of Samuel – – and best of all, Jesus!
Are We Confident Enough?
God has blessed us in so many ways. I’m not talking about money or success.
We’ve been blessed by family, friends and the freedom to worship God without severe consequences.
More importantly, as Christians we are blessed by the Holy gift of Jesus Christ who freely gave His life that we might live.
I know life sometimes has its struggles and “bumps in in road” but, we can get through them with the help of God.
We should be willing to thank God for everything He has given us. This shows we give Him ultimate credit and control – which He has anyhow.
As Hannah said; God is a Rock – unchanging and strong. Our circumstances may change, but God remains faithful to the promise He made us through Christ.
Now, let’s give thanks to God.
In Christ,
Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to see John 3:16 here.