Wednesday 27 November 2024
"He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honour." (v. 8)
Background
Yesterday we read how Hannah gave up her child Samuel to live in the Temple. Today's reading is Hannah’s prayer. It comes from the early chapters of 1 Samuel which give us the prophet Samuel’s origin story.
As we read this prayer it is clear that Hannah herself is speaking in the kind of way which we would associate with a prophet.
The prayer of joy she gives is placed here in the book because it foreshadows some of the role that her son will play as he grows up and becomes God’s prophet. In particular he will annoint a king for the nation (King David).
You might be familiar with Mary’s song found in Luke 1:46–55 where Mary praises God for the child which the angel Gabriel tells her she will have. Hannah's prayer, which was written long before, and which Mary would have been familiar with takes a similar form.
The faith of both women is strong in both prayers as is the awareness that God is on the side of the poor and is bringing somebody to advocate for them.
To Ponder:
- Do you believe that God is on the side of the poor and will raise up the needy? If so how does that affect your own behaviour and attitudes?
- Hannah’s prayer is an important one. It is is often overlooked because she is seen as an insignificant woman, whose prime role was as Samuel’s mother. Do you ever overlook somebody’s words because you see them as insignificant? Or because you only see them in relation to someone else (someone's mother/wife/son etc) rather than a person in their own right?
Bible notes author: Sally Rush
Sally is a Learning & Development Officer in the Methodist Connexional Team.