Last week we examined the announcement Elizabeth (John the Baptist’s mother) made regarding God’s blessing on the virgin Mary (Luke 1:39-46
). In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, Luke records Mary’s response to God’s incomprehensible miracle (Luke 1:46-56). It is a poetic work often called The Magnificat (a Latin translation of her opening word, “magnify,” see 1:46).
Her glorious poem “magnifies” the Lord for three characteristics: his holiness, might, and mercy. She spreads these praiseworthy attributes across three parts that show God’s mercy extended to Mary (46-49), to the human race in general (50-53), and Israel in particular (54-55).