Updated for Advent 2026, which begins Sunday, November 29.
Mary’s song, the Magnificat, shows how to respond when God works in your life: with praise. She said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47, ESV). To magnify the Lord is to declare his greatness. This Advent, start there. For the whole story, from Isaiah’s promise to the manger, see our Christmas story Bible study.
Mary’s song, the Magnificat in Luke 1:46–55, is her response of praise after learning she would bear the Son of God: her soul magnifies the Lord, who looked on her humble estate. This devotional explores how a young woman with no wealth or status rejoiced in God’s mercy despite gossip and uncertainty.
Key Verse
“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord’” (Luke 1:46, ESV)
Reflection
Mary was probably a teenager when the angel Gabriel told her she would bear the Son of God. She was engaged but not yet married, living in an insignificant village, with no wealth or status. Her pregnancy would invite gossip and suspicion. And yet, when she visited her relative Elizabeth, Mary burst into one of the most beautiful songs in Scripture. The church has long called it the Magnificat, from the Latin for its first word: magnifies.
“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord’” (Luke 1:46, ESV). To magnify something is to make it look bigger, the way a magnifying glass enlarges what is small. God does not need to be made bigger; he is already infinitely great. But our view of him often shrinks. When we magnify the Lord, we enlarge our vision of him, so that he fills our sight more than our problems or our fears.
Mary goes on to say she is glad in God, who saves her (Luke 1:47). Mary’s joy is personal. She calls God her Savior. Even the mother of Jesus needed saving. Her song is not about her own greatness, but about God’s mercy toward her.
Next she says God has noticed his lowly servant (Luke 1:48). This is the heart of Mary’s wonder. God noticed her. Out of all the women in the world, the palaces and powerful families, God looked at a humble girl in Nazareth. Mary did not see herself as impressive. She saw herself as a servant whom God had graciously chosen.
That is good news for all of us who feel ordinary. God does not choose people because they are impressive. He delights to work through the humble, the overlooked, and the small. His strength shows most clearly through people who know they need him.
She adds that people in every age to come will call her blessed (Luke 1:48). Mary is not boasting. She is recognizing that what God has done for her will be remembered forever. And she is right. Two thousand years later, we are still telling her story. Her blessing came not from her achievements but from God’s gift.
Then she says the Mighty One has done wonderful things for her, and his name is holy (Luke 1:49). Mary turns attention back to God. He is mighty. He is holy. Every great thing here is his doing. Her song is a model of worship that keeps the focus where it belongs.
This week, as Christmas draws near, follow Mary’s example. Magnify the Lord. Make room in your heart to see him as great. And remember that he looks with favor on the humble.
Today, Try This
Write a short list titled “Great things God has done for me.” Include at least five specific items from your life. Then read Luke 1:46–49 aloud as your own prayer of praise.
Reflection Question
What has been looming larger in your vision than God lately, and how could you magnify the Lord instead?
Prayer
Lord, my soul praises you, and my spirit delights in you, my Savior. Thank you for looking on the humble and doing great things. Enlarge my vision of you this Christmas, and keep my heart humble and grateful. Holy is your name. Amen.
Keep Reading
- Explore more: Advent devotionals
- Read today’s and past daily devotionals
- Go deeper: the birth of Jesus (Luke 2 study)
- Start here: what the narrow gate means (Matthew 7:13-14)
- God With Us Meaning: Immanuel Forever
- God With Us Meaning: Immanuel in Ordinary Days
- God With Us Meaning: Immanuel in Our Suffering
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mary's song called?
Mary's song in Luke 1:46-55 is called the Magnificat, from the Latin for its first word, which means to magnify or praise. She opens by declaring that her soul makes much of the Lord. Mary sang it while visiting her relative Elizabeth, soon after learning she would bear the Messiah.
What does "my soul magnifies the Lord" mean?
To magnify the Lord means to declare His greatness so others see it more clearly. Mary was not making God bigger; she was enlarging her praise. Her whole being, soul and spirit, responded with worship to God's kindness toward her.
Why did Mary call God her Savior?
Mary called God her Savior (Luke 1:47) because she recognized her own need of salvation. Though uniquely chosen, she saw herself as a humble servant receiving undeserved grace. Her song models humility: the greatest privilege leads her to praise God, not herself.