Samuel 2:1-11 - Hannah’s Prayer of Salvation

1 Samuel 2:1-11

Hannah’s Prayer (cf. Luke 1:46–55)

1 And Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
My horn is exalted in the LORD.
I smile at my enemies,
Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2 “No one is holy like the LORD,
For there is none besides You,
Nor is there any rock like our God.

3 “Talk no more so very proudly;
Let no arrogance come from your mouth,
For the LORD is the God of knowledge;
And by Him actions are weighed.

4 “The bows of the mighty men are broken,
And those who stumbled are girded with strength.

5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
And the hungry have ceased to hunger.

Even the barren has borne seven,
And she who has many children has become feeble.

6 “The LORD kills and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and brings up.

7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
He brings low and lifts up.

8 He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap,
To set them among princes
And make them inherit the throne of glory.

“For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,
And He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of His saints,
But the wicked shall be silent in darkness.

“For by strength no man shall prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces;
From heaven He will thunder against them.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to His king,
And exalt the horn of His anointed.”

11 Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

This was Hannah’s Prayer for salvation, deliverance not only of he barrenness, but of the spiritual emptiness of God’s people that is answered by His power over life and death, over the enemies set against Him and them, and over all rulers who will face the eternal Judge of righteousness in the final judgment.  She prophetically prayed these words that now challenge and encourage us with hope through that judgment on the world as we find in God’s character, His very word made flesh (John 1:1, 14) who made our salvation possible and clearly understood in His written words conveyed by the apostles (Acts 1:21, Luke 1:1-2, 2 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:21, 3:2, 1 John 1:1, Jude 1:17) chosen for the task of recording scripture as the prophets before them had done and which nobody since has the authority to add to (Revelation 22:18) these things.  Hannah therefore pronounced these words for us to show her understanding of God’s word and work, His sovereign rule and power and purpose over all creation in the face of those who rail against Him.  His good grace and providence had given Hannah a son who would be a servant to judge Israel and defeat the enemies of them both.  We read how strength and joy are found in the LORD and His deliverance of saving grace, how He alone is completely holy and righteous (a reminder that only we who are in His righteousness are ourselves reckoned as holy - Romans 3:21, 10:3, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Philippians 3:9), and that He alone is the Rock of our salvation on whom we can stand firm (Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 7:24, 1 Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 6:10, 13).  We see the criticality of humility because all knowledge comes from the Lord (Hebrews 5:14) who teaches us all and anything we can know as we look to Him, unlike the arrogant pride of sin which took such hubris to assume the serpent was right in taking knowledge of our own reason (Genesis 3:1, 5, 6) apart from His instruction.  God breaks these weapons of spiritual warfare by His word of power and true knowledge to trip up those trusting in their own strength and wisdom.  He takes away all the proud seem to have to prove He is the source of all things we possess.  He alone has the power of death and life and all provision or destitution in His hands.  He picks up we poor sinners out of the dust of the earth to cause us to reign with Him (Romans 5:17, 2 Timothy 2:12) as princes to inherit (Job 36:6-7, Psalm 113:8, Romans 8:17, Colossians 1:12, 1 Peter 1:4) a place with the Lord on His throne (Revelation 3:21) of glory!  He guards and guides our steps and thunders judgement on our adversaries (Psalm 35:17, Revelation 6:10) as we await His ruling of the final judgment over all creation.  He lifts us up as His own and pits down those opposing Him and we who have the testimony (Revelation 12:17) of Jesus Christ, His living word, whom He has exalted over all (Philippians 2:9-10) in heaven and on earth.  After this prophetic prayer, Hannah returned home and their son Samuel then served this great LORD God of whom she had told us of these things to remember and live by.  We likewise remember our prayer of the person of our saving deliverance and ministry as 1 Timothy 3:16 also reminds us as we serve Him in the gospel of our salvation.