And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Lk. 1:46-47)
These familiar words introduce one of the great Christmas hymns — Mary’s poetic response to the announcement of the birth of Jesus to her by the angel (vv. 26-38) and the following affirmation from Elizabeth (vv. 39-45).
While the song is lengthy (vv. 46-55) even the simple introduction to the song (above) provides us with instruction about how to worship the advent of Christ.
Christmas worship is internal. The song is filled with Old Testament quotations that she had obviously memorized. But her simple first words “My soul” indicate that what follows are not mere recitations of words that she has previously memorized. The delight that she expresses in God is not lip-service, but soul- and heart-service. She offers this song out of the overflow of her satisfied heart in God.
Christmas worship is personal. The personal pronouns “my” and “me” as well as another allusion to her status (v. 48a) reveal that she has personalized the gospel and understood God’s actions as His care for her personally. Note also that she says, “my heart has rejoiced…” (past tense). While she has only had the announcement of the Savior that would be born through her, she does not know particulars of how or where He would be born, and she does not know the mocking and rejection she will face from her townspeople, nor does she know all the trials that will be associated with Him (see 2:35), yet her heart has already worshipped. She has settled confidence in God in all that would come to her through this birth though at the time of her song, she has only the barest details of what will yet come.
Christmas worship is corporate. While she begins with acknowledgement of God’s personal grace toward her, she is even more captivated by God’s care of others, particularly His people Israel (vv. 50-55). Her worship is not self-centered and self-focused; she delights when God reveals His grace and kindness towards others.
Christmas worship is God-centered. Even in these two verses, God is acknowledged as “the Lord” — the Master and Sovereign of all things — as well as “God my Savior,” the unique God who is also the only source of salvation. And in verses to follow she identifies Him as the source of grace (vv. 48, 53a). She also affirms that He is also omnipotent (vv. 49a, 51a), holy (v. 49b), merciful (v. 50), sovereign over the nations (v. 51b-52), Judge (v. 53), and the covenant God of Israel (vv. 54-55). Her worship is distinctly God-centered and God-exalting.
Her worship invites self-examining questions for us this Christmas season:
- Is my worship perfunctory or enthusiastically derived from a heart satisfied with God?
- Even in hardship, trials, suffering, and persecution do I recognize God’s grace and kindness to me? My hardship does not mean the Lord is not kind; in fact, His grace may be more fully displayed when I am suffering and incapable of providing for myself.
- Do I take time to recognize God’s goodness and faithfulness to His people, apart from my and my personal circle of influence. Do I delight in His gracious care for the extensive body of Christ?
- Do I delight in the nature and character of God, however it is revealed?
As we go to worship this weekend (and the weeks to follow), may our worship emulate the example of the teen-aged woman who gave birth to the Savior of the world in difficult circumstances — and gave voice to a fully-formed worship of God.
Botticelli Magnificat, Uffizi Gallery, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Words of Grace 
