What is the Magnificat?

from the old testament

• Mary's Magnificat echoes many scriptural passages from the Old Testament, most notably Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1–10.

from the new testament

• The Magnificat is Mary's hymn of praise recorded in Luke 1:46–55 spoken in response to her cousin Elizabeth's greeting and blessing. Mary was pregnant at the time, as the angel Gabriel foretold (Luke 1:26–38). She went to her relative Elizabeth's house to see if Elizabeth was also pregnant like the angel had said (Luke 1:39). The older woman was six months into her pregnancy with John the Baptist, and the baby leapt inside her womb when Mary arrived (Luke 1:41). Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth exclaimed, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord" (Luke 1:42–45). The Magnificat is Mary's response.
• The reason Mary's poetic response is referred to as the Magnificat is because in Latin, magnificat (meaning "magnify," "glorify," "exalt," etc.) is the first word of her response. In this reply, Mary glorified God for blessing her and for His faithfulness to Israel. She used parallelism as a poetic device to restate her point.
• Mary began with two synonymous parallels declaring God's greatness and finding delight in Him (Luke 1:46–48). Then she used three contrasting parallels about God scattering the proud and bringing the mighty low but exalting the humble (Luke 1:52), and leaving the rich empty while filling the hungry (Luke 1:53). These contrasts and reversals certainly expressed her feelings as a poor young girl who would now become the mother of the Messiah.
• Mary's response is one of four hymns of praise recorded in Luke in response to the birth of Christ. The other three are Zechariah's Benedictus (Luke 1:67–79), the angels' Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Luke 2:13–14), and Simeon's Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:28–32).
• The Magnificat reads:
• My soul magnifies the Lord,
• and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
• for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
• For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
• for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
• and holy is his name.
• And his mercy is for those who fear him
• from generation to generation.
• He has shown strength with his arm;
• he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
• he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
• and exalted those of humble estate;
• he has filled the hungry with good things,
• and the rich he has sent away empty.
• He has helped his servant Israel,
• in remembrance of his mercy,
• as he spoke to our fathers,
• to Abraham and to his offspring forever.
• Luke 1:46–55

implications for today

Mary's Magnificat offers a profound example of how we can magnify God in our lives. To magnify God means to praise Him, to exalt His greatness, and to acknowledge His presence and work in our lives. Just as Mary proclaimed, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior," we too can magnify God by recognizing and celebrating His blessings, mercy, and faithfulness. This involves a conscious effort to shift our focus from our challenges and limitations to His power and goodness. We can magnify God by sharing testimonies of His work in our lives, expressing gratitude for His provision, and living in a way that reflects His love and grace. Through prayer, worship, and acts of kindness, we make His presence more visible to ourselves and others. By trusting in His promises and relying on His strength, especially in times of difficulty, we demonstrate our faith and dependence on Him. In doing so, we not only honor God but also inspire others to seek and glorify Him. Magnifying God becomes a daily practice of acknowledging His greatness and letting His light shine through us.