Luke 1:46–56

Read the passage.

Mary’s song of praise to the Lord has been famously set to music as “Magnificat”, from the first word of its Latin translation. It describes how God reverses the typical order of human society, humbling the proud and the rulers and raising up the poor and humble. She recognizes that her role in redemptive history will make her very famous and highly regarded, and yet she gives all credit to the Lord her Savior.

The Reformation Study Bible has a note that says Mary apparently did not stay for the birth of John. I’m not certain I believe that, but there’s also no real way to tell from the text. Mary isn’t mentioned in the next section, but the focus of it isn’t on her partof the narrative either. If Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Mary arrived and she stayed “about” three months, that “about” could be more or less.

Help us to fear you, O Lord, and have mercy on us.