And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
και ηγαλλιασεν το πνευμα μου επι τω θεω τω σωτηρι μου
16 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 17 commentaries
But he magnifies God who worthily follows Christ, and now that he is called Christian, lessens not the glory of Christ by acting unworthily, but does great and heavenly things; and then the Spirit (that is, the anointing of the Spirit) shall rejoice, (i. e. make him to prosper,) and shall not be withdrawn, so to say, and put to death.
The first-fruit of the Spirit is peace and joy. Because then the holy Virgin had drunk in all the graces of the Spirit, she rightly adds, And my spirit hath leaped for joy. (exultavit.) She means the same thing, soul and spirit. But the frequent mention of leaping for joy in the Scriptures implies a certain bright and cheerful state of mind in those who are worthy. Hence the Virgin exults in the Lord with an unspeakable springing (and bounding) of the heart for joy, and in the breaking forth into utterance of a noble affection. It follows, in God my Saviour.
But if at any time light shall have crept into his heart, and loving God and despising bodily things he shall have gained the perfect standing of the just, without any difficulty shall he obtain joy in the Lord.
The soul of Mary therefore magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God, because with soul and spirit devoted to the Father and the Son, she worships with a pious affection the one God from whom are all things. But let every one have the spirit of Mary, so that he may rejoice in the Lord. If according to the flesh there is one mother of Christ, yet, according to faith, Christ is the fruit of all. For every soul receives the word of God if only he be unspotted and free from sin, and preserves it with unsullied purity.
By spirit, we refer to the soul. My soul rejoices, as she proclaims, for God has granted me salvation, for I have already been redeemed, having been blessed to be the Mother of God. She continues to explain the cause of her gratitude.
Who else is the eternal ruler in the household of Jacob but Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of the Most High? Through the law and the prophets, He promised to unveil His salvation to all humanity, becoming the Son of Man so that humanity might be transformed into the children of God. Mary, filled with joy, prophetically spoke of the Church, declaring, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. For He has regarded the lowly state of His servant, and remembered His mercy, as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever' (Luke 1:46, Luke 1:54, 55). Through these verses and others like them, the Gospel reveals that the God who communicated with our forefathers is the very One who delivered the law through Moses. This legislation clarifies how He spoke to those early generations.
But the soul first magnifies the Lord, that it may afterwards rejoice in God; for unless we have first believed, we can not rejoice.
Because the spirit of the Virgin rejoices in the eternal Godhead of the same Jesus. (i. e. the Saviour,) whose flesh is formed in the womb by a temporal conception.
The Holy Orthodox Church has consistently affirmed that the Holy Spirit came upon the pure Virgin, the Bride who is not merely a Bride, as the Church venerates the Mother of God—pure in essence and transcendent in sanctity, graciously endowed with purity, who embraced the divine grace of the Holy Spirit for her sustenance and joy. This profound experience of divine grace distanced the Virgin from earthly pleasures and awakened within her a resolute aversion to the allure of the flesh. Such is the nature of a worthy temple of God, a spiritual abode, and the throne of the Almighty, representing His sanctum. Erroneous beliefs often give rise to further misconceptions.
Those in the Papacy, acknowledging the Mother of God as untouched by original sin, have mistakenly deemed her to be entirely free from sin, requiring no redemption or Redeemer. The misguided heretics and fanatics, blinded in their understanding, find their errors silenced by the gracious Mother of God herself, who acknowledges that God, birthed from her, is her Savior. The papists, in attributing sinlessness to the Blessed Virgin, reveal their skepticism toward God's omnipotence. Conversely, the Orthodox Church extols the might and majesty of God, who elevates those conceived and born in sin far above the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim, who remain ever sinless and holy. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in my Savior God," declared the gracious Virgin to Elizabeth, who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, proclaimed with joy that the Blessed Virgin is indeed the Mother of God (Luke 1:43-47). The Blessed Mary not only counters the claims of papists who diminish her role in relation to God as Savior, but also addresses the assertions of Protestants who ascribe to her spirit a delight not in God but in carnal pleasures.
Born of holy parents, the Virgin became the vessel chosen and sanctified by God into which the Word of God resided. This same Word, the Creator of everything seen and unseen, became flesh by the Father's will, assisted by the Spirit, manifesting His creative power. The God-Man, born of Mary, made her the Virgin Mother while preserving her virginity. The God and Creator of the Virgin became her Son, remaining both her God and Creator; in becoming her Son, He also became her Redeemer and Savior. The first Adam brought forth a wife without his spouse, while the Blessed Virgin conceived and bore the New Adam without her husband. Despite the exalted status of the Mother of God, her conception and childbirth resonate with the common human condition; thus, the universal acknowledgment of conception in sin and birth in iniquity applies to her as well. The humble and gracious Mary accepted this truth before all creation. Feeling the presence of the longed-for Savior within her womb, she expressed her joy in these remarkable words: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in my Savior my God; for He has looked upon the humility of His servant; behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:46-48). Through the Gospel, read by all, Our Lady declares to humanity that the God she bore is also her Savior. If God is indeed her Savior, then she must have been conceived and born in sin according to the universal law of fallen humanity. God is the Creator of both angels and men; however, He is the Savior of humanity alone. As for the unfallen angels, He is their Lord but not their Redeemer. Recognizing God as Savior highlights the acknowledgment of one’s own brokenness. The Virgin Mary was conceived and birthed in the state of human frailty, bound by sin and death, sharing in the common plight of the human race. Yet, her birth by God, the Savior of herself and all humanity, granted her a dignity surpassing that of the sinless angels, who have not experienced spiritual death nor required a Savior.
"And My spirit rejoiced" - this encompasses the entirety of My being, the fullness of My spirit’s faculties. "O my Saviour God" - not solely the God Almighty as revealed in the Old Testament, but also the God who saves, as He will reveal Himself in the New Testament.
Mary, upon hearing the commendations of her kinswoman, sinks into the depths of her own humility, attributing all the divine gifts of grace within her to God. She conveys her love, thankfulness, and humility through a remarkable hymn, which is recited by the Church each day during Matins. This song reveals an elevation of emotion, intellect, and expression that surpasses the works of the ancient prophets. In it, the Holy Virgin extols God for His boundless mercies and renders Him all glory.
I was filled with joy. My spirit was glad, she proclaims, for the Lord has delivered me from every wicked snare.
The joyful, divinely inspired greeting that Elizabeth bestowed upon Mary filled Our Lady with profound happiness, prompting Her to express Her abundant spirit of joy and appreciation to God the Savior in a heartfelt hymn. This hymn can be divided into several sections: verses 46 and 47 serve as an introductory passage that sets the tone for what follows, pointing to God as the object of praise - the Savior. Salvation is viewed in a Messianic context. In verse 48 and the first part of verse 49, God as Savior is honored in connection with Mary. The lineage of David found itself in a position of humility, and its descendants had no significant social standing. Yet, within this modest and unassuming family, Mary considered herself the least.
Nevertheless, the Lord regarded her humble circumstances favorably; thus, all future generations will honor her as the mother of the Savior, the Messiah. Mary’s exaltation is an expression of God's omnipotence, prompting Her to proclaim His might in her praise. The latter part of verse 49 and verse 60 act as a transition towards praising God for the salvation bestowed upon the people of Israel, as elaborated in verses 51-55. This transitional passage encapsulates a broader idea, drawing from God’s actions towards Mary — emphasizing His holiness and boundless mercy towards those who strive for righteousness and seek to live out their faith with reverence. This same attribute of divine holiness and mercy towards generations to come serves as the foundation for God's works through the Messiah for Israel (vv. 54-55: ‘mercies are mentioned for Abraham and his seed to the ages of ages’), and what Mary proclaims with prophetic insight as already fulfilled (indicated by the past tense of the verbs). The latter part of her speech begins with general and figurative expressions (51-53), and then (in vv. 54-55) makes clear who the humble and the needy are — those whom God will elevate from their lowly condition, demonstrating the might of His power (‘the power of His muscle’). Thus, it becomes evident who these individuals are: the proud in spirit, the powerful, and the affluent — clearly the Gentiles who once dominated the world and particularly over Israel. Until that moment, it seemed as though the Lord had forgotten and abandoned His people—Israel, permitting the Gentiles to exert control over them. However, He now welcomes them back into His love, fulfilling the mercies promised to Abraham and his descendants, extending into eternity, made manifest through the Messiah, the everlasting King on David's throne.
Concealing the revelation given by the angel from all, including Joseph, the Blessed Virgin wished to confide only in her elderly relative Elizabeth, prompting her to embark on a lengthy journey. However, she was taken aback when, at their initial encounter, before she could express her joy or even offer a typical greeting, Elizabeth, speaking under divine inspiration, echoed the very words of the angel and acknowledged her as the Mother of the Lord. Furthermore, she learned that the once barren and aged Elizabeth was to become a mother. It became evident to the Blessed Virgin that her divine secret had been disclosed to Elizabeth by God Himself. This astonishment transformed into profound joy and elation, realizing that the time for the Messiah’s arrival and Israel’s salvation had come. Overwhelmed by these emotions, the Blessed Virgin proclaimed a beautiful, inspired hymn: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
Filled with joy at this greeting, Mary expressed the joy of her holy and pure heart through a magnificent song, reminiscent of the most gracious verses from the Old Testament, reflecting her profound knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.’ She honors her Lord, fully surrendering to His will and exalting His greatness with heartfelt gratitude and devotion. Her spirit, overflowing with immense thankfulness, was swept away in a state of ecstasy under the influence of the mercy of her Saviour God.
"O God, my Redeemer," the Virgin signifies and acknowledges the profound mystery of her Son, who is the Savior of all humanity. Nevertheless, the adoration is directed chiefly towards God the Father; hence, the term Redeemer here should be understood not in the individual sense of Christ as God the Word made flesh, but in a broader and more universal context.
On Wednesday, a service is held in reverence of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos. The Prokeimenon draws from the hymn of the Theotokos: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in my Savior God. Verse: For He has regarded the lowliness of His servant; surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed. Through these words, the Virgin Mary joyfully exalts the Lord, who, in the midst of profound humility, has elevated her to extraordinary glory, ensuring that all nations will celebrate her as the Mother of God.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 11 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS