1. Here are the expressions of joy and praise, and God alone the object of the praise and center of the joy. Observe how Mary here speaks of God. 1.) With great reverence of him, as the Lord: "My soul doth magnify the Lord; I never saw him so great as now I find him so good.'' 2.) With great complacency in him as her Savior: My spirit rejoiceth in God my Savior. This seems to have reference to the Messiah, whom she was to be the mother of.
2. Here are just causes assigned for this joy and praise. 1.) Upon her own account, v. 48, 49. [1.] Her spirit rejoiced in the Lord, because of the kind things he had done for her: his condescension and compassion to her. [2.] Her soul magnifies the Lord, because of the wonderful things he had done for her. (v. 49): He that is mighty has done to me great things. A great thing indeed, that a virgin should conceive. A great thing indeed, that Messiah, who had been so long promised to the church, and so long expected by the church, should now at length be born. 2.) Upon the account of others. The virgin Mary, as the mother of the Messiah, is become a kind of public person, wears a public character, and is therefore immediately endued with another spirit, a more public spirit than before she had, and therefore looks abroad, looks about her, looks before her, and takes notice of God's various dealings with the children of men (v. 50, etc.), as Hannah. [1.] It is a certain truth that God has mercy in store, mercy in reserve, for all that have a reverence for his majesty, and a due regard to his sovereignty and authority. But never did this appear so as in sending his Son into the world to save us. (v.50) [2.] -M. Henry |
