1 Sam 2:1, Then Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Thy salvation.
This morning, we read together one of those chapters in scripture in which we could lose ourselves for the rest of our lives. It is resplendent with the Song of Hannah. It also details the work of the Lord against the house of Eli and for the House of Samuel. This shows the manner of the Lord in operation to maintain and to defend His Holiness and His Righteousness in the midst of those who minister to His people. There is the joy of the heart of the formerly barren woman, enmeshed with the work of the Lord to fulfill the sanctity of His service on behalf of His people. Sandwiched in-between is the care of a mother for her beloved son, which is so indicative of the manner in which the Lord upholds and loves His people, with all His heart.
	Accordingly, we count on the Holy Spirit to do that which is His purview with regard to the opening of His Word for the feeding of His people. It is very difficult to just pass by the very first verse with its emphasis on the Lord. There is a very real and dear appreciation for the Lord that is expressed by Hannah. 
	She had been barren for many years. Her husband had fathered children with her rival, Peninnah. As well, we are told that Peninnah had been extremely contentious with Hannah and had bitterly provoked and irritated her year after year. This had been a tremendous difficulty for Hannah, to the point that she was willing to offer her first born son wholly to the Lord if Jehovah would but open her womb. 
This prayer, gives expression to absolute and tremendous relief from the heart of a woman who had borne the abuse and torment of not being able to become a mother. Here, she had finally received the joy of giving birth to a son and this son would be for the expressed purpose of honoring the Lord for the rest of his life. 
We hear the crescendo of the urgent and magnified worship of this woman unto the God Who had heard her cries, her torment, her frustration, her abuse, her whispered prayers for deliverance and for fulfillment as she was putting her only child, this son, born of the heart after the Lord, into a lifetime of service. This son was dedicated, with every fiber of her essence and his being, unto Adonai, Jehovah, The Lord of Hosts and the Only True and Living Lord God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe and the Deliverer of those who call upon His Holy Name.
"My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Thy salvation. We could read again the entirety of this earnest song of praise and worship unto the Lord, but there is another similar song of exaltation to the Lord from another mother which we dearly need to consider. This song of Hannah was the forerunner of the song of Mary. There is expressed, in both these women’s songs, the joy of the Lord having accomplished a tremendous work that was beyond the scope of the women in their physical, spiritual, emotional, and human abilities. Only the Lord could make Himself so fully known to these two women in the manner which required such a response of praise and adoration and worship as we have before us in the very Word of God.
We are referring to the passage of scripture contained in Luke 1:46-80. We will read through to verse 80 because of the entire context of the rejoicing of heart of both women as well as Zacharias that is so absolutely met by the Hand of God in operation. Included is the account of the birth of John, to be called the Baptistizer, in the preparation of the way before Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God. 
This whole process of the work of God is so clearly deserving of the consideration of us who love God and cherish all that He has done, is doing, and forever will do. He is awesome beyond description and therefore, as we read this account of what was done by God, before the birth of His Only Begotten, we cannot but exalt Him. This is one of the great purposes of this passage. Together, we rejoice in the song of Mary, the obedience of Elizabeth, and the magnificent prophecy of Zacharias concerning how God was making the way for the salvation of humanity whom He had created.
Luke 1:46-80, And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. "And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. "He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. "He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. "He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his offspring forever." And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home. Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. And it came about that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. And his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a tablet, and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. And fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. And all who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant — As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old — Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us; To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace." And the child continued to grow, and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. 
	In this passage we have the delight in the work of the Lord expressed by Mary, who was carrying the soon to be born Only Begotten Son of God. We also have the joy of Elizabeth and Zacharias declaring the work that the Lord was going to do through the birth of their son, John, in preparation for the earthly ministry of Jesus. 
The three of them were in utter awe and amazement at the course of the work of God in their lives. His Hand was so fully evidenced as the only means of the salvation of humanity was being brought to fruition. 
Here was the fulfillment of the type of prophet and priest that Samuel, the first born son of Hannah, represented so much earlier in the history of the Children of Israel. The prayer of Hannah declares what the Lord was going to do through the preparation ministry of John the Baptist, and then the death, resurrection, and glorification of the gift of God’s Love, Jesus. This is the redemption planned from before even eternity existed. For all of this, God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is to be exalted and praised and worshiped and adored.
Then, into the whole mix of what The Lord was doing, the Apostle Paul makes a most profound, albeit obvious statement of fact. Please refer in your Bibles to Rom 5:10+11. Rom 5:10+11, For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 
	How can we not exult in God? He has saved us unto Himself, by taking our sin and our shame and our guilt and our trespasses, nailing it all to the cross of the crucifixion of the perfect and unblemished Son. He did this even while we were yet at enmity with Him. We were the ones for whom this perfect sacrifice needed to take place because we had no hope, no basis of righteousness, no means of saving ourselves. We were at utter odds with God and sullenly, stubbornly, innately infused with all manner of ungodliness which could never stand in the presence of the Most Holy and Righteous and Loving Lord God Jehovah. 
In Phil 3:1-3, the Apostle Paul makes it known that we are to rejoice in the Lord. We are to safeguard and protect that heart which is now brought into life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our joy in Christ is to be honoring unto the Lord and not allowed to be dampened or hindered by any contrary teaching or philosophical entanglement. Our confidence and our assurance and our encouragement is in that which the Apostle Paul continually taught and emphasized and proclaimed – Jesus Christ crucified! Jesus Christ resurrected! And Jesus Christ glorified! 
Phil 3:1-3, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,
The Apostle Paul encourages us to continually rejoice in the goodness and the love and the grace and the power and the salvation of God as in Phil 4:4-9. Our hearts and minds are to be set on those truths and realities of what Jesus Christ has accomplished and what is now the reality of our daily walk in Him. When we keep our hearts and our minds focused on Who He is and all that He has done, we will not be pulled away or befuddled and bemuddled with any contrary or contradictory philosophy. Consider how we are to set our minds on the things that are from above and not from the mouths of those who would try to pull our hearts and minds away from the beauty and the majesty and the glory of Our God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Phil 4:4-9, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. 
	The Apostle Peter, as well, declares that we are to bless and honor and praise God for the life that we have received in the death and resurrection of the Only Begotten of the Father. In 1 Peter 1:3-10, we are given the reason that we can fully exult in the Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth and all that is made! He is working mightily in our lives to bring forth the full measure of His so great and awesome love.
	1 Peter 1:3-10, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. So be it!
Then Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Thy salvation. Amen.

This morning’s benediction is Ps 27:4. One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to meditate in His temple. Amen.