“My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my savior. For he has looked upon the humble estate of his servant.”
– Luke 1:46–48
I love this part of Mary’s song, as she gives glory to God for the grace he has shown her, this news that she would give birth to a son, who will be God in the flesh, the savior of the world. So her soul magnifies the Lord. Her spirit rejoices in God, her savior, for she knows he has looked upon her humble estate and blessed her.
Let’s rejoice in our Redeemer. He has looked on our sinful state and shown us grace upon grace by saving us through Christ.
Obviously, the circumstance there in Luke 1 is extremely unique, but the song is the same for every single one of our lives, isn’t it? Like, our souls magnify the Lord. Our spirits rejoice in God, our savior, because he has looked upon us, on each one of us. He has drawn us to Jesus. Has given us forgiveness of our sins against him. He has given us eternal life. And he has blessed us in so many ways.
Luke 1:46–48 Reminds Us That God Can Save Us From Hell
I have just been overwhelmed the last few days just thinking about God’s grace in my life. I can’t imagine being a more blessed person. Can’t imagine more grace than what I have been given. It has been so much more than I could ever deserve. I don’t deserve any, I deserve to be separated from God, I deserve to be in hell right now. You do too.
Yet God loves us, he saves us from hell, saves us from sin, saves us to know him. Not because of anything we’ve done, he looks upon our humble estate, he looks upon us in need and he pours out his mercy.
So what do our souls do in response to this mercy? We magnify the Lord. Can we just do that now in prayer? This text just compels us to lift our eyes and say to God, “Our souls magnify you. Today, right now in this moment, our souls magnify you.” As I voice this prayer, may it just be true in all of our hearts.
This Verse Glorifies God and His Name
God, we glorify you, we praise you, we thank you for the grace you have poured out on us. Our spirits rejoice. You are our savior. We find inexpressible joy in you.
Oh, God, all glory be to your name for your salvation. All glory be to your name for your provision in our lives, for your provision in our families, for your provision in our churches, for your provision for every single thing we have. For the water we drink, for the food we eat, for the breath we’re breathing right now. For the relationships we have, for the hope we have, for the joy we have, for the peace that you promise us, for the promises you give to us.
Luke 1:46–48 Prays For The Kushar People
Our souls magnify you, glorify your name, oh, God. We rejoice in you, our savior, and we want others to find joy in you as savior. God, we pray for the Kushar people today, Muslim people in Pakistan. Two and half million of them, God, no known followers of Jesus. God, please, please, please cause the Kushar to know you as savior.
We ask right now you would send workers into that harvest field so that their souls might magnify you. And look upon their humble estates and send the good news of your salvation to them. Through your church, God, raise your church nearby there in Pakistan, in Pakistan, and then far from it. God, use our lives, use somebody who’s listening to this right now. Call somebody out to the Kushar in Pakistan to make the Gospel known among this two and a half million people so that they might sing to you. You are worthy of this song.
In our lives, you are worthy of this song among the nations. Our souls magnify you. You are the Lord, our spirits rejoice in you. You are God our savior, and you have looked upon our humble estate. And you have showered us with your mercy. We magnify you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
