In 1:48-50 Mary says, “Because He has looked upon the low estate of His slave. For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed; because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name; and His mercy is unto generations and generations to those who fear Him.” Both Mary and Zachariah stress God’s mercy (vv. 54, 58, 72, 78), realizing their low estate (v. 48) and humbly (v. 52) recognizing that they are not worthy of being favored by God. Both God’s mercy and His grace are the expression of His love. When we are in a pitiful condition, His mercy first reaches us and brings us into a situation where God is able to favor us with His grace. For example, 15:20-24 tells us that when the father saw the prodigal son returning, he had compassion on him. That is mercy, as expressing the father’s love. Then the father clothed him with the best robe and fed him with the fatted calf. That is grace, which also manifests the father’s love. God’s mercy reaches further and bridges the gap between us and God’s grace.
In a sense, Mary was more knowledgeable of God than many believers today. In her praise she speaks of God’s mercy, but she does not mention His grace. In order to receive God’s grace, we need to be in a suitable condition. However, Mary realized that she and all the people at that time were in a poor condition. Because they were in a pitiful condition, they needed God’s mercy.
Mary praised God for His mercy and His mighty doings. In verses 51 and 52 she says, “He has done mighty things with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the understanding of their heart. He brought down potentates from thrones and exalted the humble.” God did mighty things in taking care of His people in their low estate. Because their estate was so low, they needed God’s mercy to reach them, for His mercy extends further than His grace.
In 1:53-55 Mary says, “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He sent away empty. He has succored Israel His servant to remember mercy, even as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.” Verse 55 refers to God’s faithfulness in keeping His word. Both Mary and Zachariah emphasize not only God’s mercy but also His faithfulness (vv. 70, 72). God’s mercy takes care of their condition, and His faithfulness takes care of His position so that He can favor them with His gracious doings.
God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were His faithful word. Now God was visiting His people according to those promises.
We should appreciate Mary’s praise. When she uttered this praise, she was a young woman, probably still in her twenties. Even though she was so young, she could offer up a praise that was a composition of quotations from the Old Testament related to her own experience of God as her Savior and Lord. She could speak concerning God’s mercy and His mighty doings in caring for His people according to the faithful promises given to the fathers.
As we consider Mary’s praise, we can see something of the reason she was chosen by God for the conception of the Man-Savior. No doubt Mary also taught the Lord Jesus many portions from the Scriptures as He was growing up.
Mary’s praise is not doctrinal; on the contrary, it is experiential. She praised God from her experience. Mary said that her spirit exulted in God her Savior and her soul magnified the Lord. This was based on experience. Then she went on to praise God in His mercy and in His faithful doings in taking care of His people, who were in a low estate. God’s doings were according to His promise, according to His faithful word given to the fathers.