Topical Bible: Praise of Hannah

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Praise of Hannah, often referred to as Hannah's Prayer, is a significant biblical passage found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. This passage is a poetic expression of thanksgiving and exaltation to God, delivered by Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Her prayer is a profound testament to her faith and gratitude following the birth of her son, whom she had dedicated to the Lord.

Context and Background

Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah, a man from the hill country of Ephraim. She was deeply loved by her husband, but she suffered greatly due to her barrenness, which was a source of personal anguish and societal shame. Her rival, Peninnah, who had children, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her (1 Samuel 1:6). In her distress, Hannah prayed earnestly to the Lord at the tabernacle in Shiloh, vowing that if God granted her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11).

God answered Hannah's prayer, and she bore a son, Samuel. True to her vow, after weaning him, she brought Samuel to the house of the Lord at Shiloh and presented him to Eli the priest (1 Samuel 1:24-28). It is in this context that Hannah offers her prayer of praise.

Content of the Prayer

Hannah's prayer is a rich tapestry of theological themes, reflecting her deep understanding of God's character and His sovereign workings in the world. The prayer begins with personal thanksgiving and quickly expands to universal truths about God's nature and His dealings with humanity.

1. Exaltation of God: Hannah opens her prayer by exalting the Lord, expressing her joy and strength in Him. "My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation" (1 Samuel 2:1). Here, "horn" symbolizes strength and victory.

2. God's Holiness and Uniqueness: She acknowledges the holiness and uniqueness of God, declaring, "There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2). This statement underscores the monotheistic belief central to Israel's faith.

3. Divine Reversal: A significant theme in Hannah's prayer is the divine reversal of human fortunes. She speaks of how the Lord humbles the proud and exalts the humble, fills the hungry, and brings low the full. "The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up" (1 Samuel 2:6). This theme foreshadows the later teachings of Jesus, particularly in the Beatitudes.

4. God's Sovereignty: Hannah emphasizes God's sovereign control over the world, asserting that He is the ultimate judge who weighs actions and establishes the foundations of the earth. "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and He has set the world upon them" (1 Samuel 2:8).

5. Messianic Hope: The prayer concludes with a prophetic note, anticipating the coming of a king and the anointed one. "He will give strength to His king and exalt the horn of His anointed" (1 Samuel 2:10). This is seen as an early reference to the Davidic line and ultimately to the Messiah.

Theological Significance

Hannah's prayer is a profound expression of faith and trust in God's providence and justice. It serves as a model of prayer and worship, highlighting themes of humility, divine justice, and hope in God's redemptive plan. Her praise not only reflects her personal experience but also speaks to the broader narrative of God's salvation history, pointing forward to the coming of the ultimate Anointed One, Jesus Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 2:1-10
And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoices in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies; because I rejoice in your salvation.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

About the Prefigured Change of the Israelitic Kingdom and ...
... that through this woman"whose very name, which is Hannah, means "His ... that this woman
prophesied nothing, but only lauded God with exulting praise on account ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 4 about the prefigured change.htm

That More Might be Given and Gotten.
... and gotten. And Hannah's exultant song of praise reveals the fineness to
which the texture of her nature had been spun. And it tells ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on prayer/that more might be given.htm

Twenty-First Day. Holiness and Happiness.
... We have already seen how the first mention of God as the Holy One was in the song
of praise on the shore of the Red Sea; how Hannah and Mary in their moments ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/twenty-first day holiness and happiness.htm

Answer to Objections: Signal Instances of Prayer
... Hannah did service to the birth of Samuel, who is numbered along with Moses ... to recall
with gratitude the benefits conferred upon him and to offer praise to God ...
/.../origen/origen on prayer/chapter viii answer to objections .htm

The Magnificat
... her emotions into forms so familiar to her, and especially that Hannah's hymn should ...
like herself called her 'mother of my Lord,' did she break into praise. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the magnificat.htm

Sixth Day. Holiness and Glory.
... some song of praise. It is remarkable how it is in these outbursts of holy enthusiasm,
God is praised as the Holy One. See it in the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/holy in christ/sixth day holiness and glory.htm

Introduction
... The Canon is the most elaborate form into which the praise of the Church is ... The Songs
of Hannah, Habakkuk, Isaiah, Jonah, The Three Children (first part, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/brownlie/hymns of the russian church/introduction.htm

Introduction.
... and Miriam, the song of Deborah and Barak, and the song of Hannah (sometimes called ...
For what we know of the first formulated human prayer and praise we are ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/introduction.htm

viii
... The Canon is the most elaborate form into which the praise of the Church is ... The Songs
of (3) Hannah; (4) Habakkuk; (5) Isaiah; (6) Jonah; (7) The Three Children ...
//christianbookshelf.org/brownlie/hymns of the holy eastern church/viii.htm

A Table to the First Book, According to the Order and Subject of ...
... 22 Jehovah Shallom 6 23 Gideon's fleece 4 24 Sampson's lion 14 I SAMUEL 25 Hannah,
or the ... SONG 57 The name of Jesus 1 ISAIAH 58 O Lord I will praise thee 12 59 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/a table to the first.htm