1 Samuel 2:1-11: The Rise of a King
There are two threads that run through Hannah’s prayer. The first strand is the rule of God. The second is the reversal of human fortunes. She weaves both strands together into a thread that runs through the entire story of 1 Samuel: the Rise of a King. Her song begins and ends with similar images, though perhaps the image is blurred by our English translations. In verse 1 she says literally,”my horn rises in the Lord”. In verse 10: “and raise the horn of his Messiah”. The picture of a horn raised by God tops and tails her prayer. The horn is a picture of power, might, and strength: you don’t mess with a horned bull.
Hannah begins by declaring in verse 1 that God has raised up, or exalted, her horn (strength) by making the weak one (barren one) strong. She finishes in verse 10 by proclaiming that he will raise up, or exalt, the horn of his anointed king (Messiah). Hannah has seen God the ruler reversing human fortunes in her life. She realises that her life is a scale model of how God deals with the world and with his people – the one who rules will reverse human fortunes.
The word “exalt” or “raised up” is the key word in her prayer, bookending it (v1, 10). It occurs again at verses 7 and 8, the heart of the song, drawing both threads together. The God who rules, the God who reverses human fortunes, is going to raise up the poor, needy, and lowly and set them with princes in the seat of honour (v7-8). He will give strength to his king, raising up, or exalting, the power of his anointed chosen King (v10).
This is the story of 1 Samuel. The people of Israel are going to reject God as ruler (8:7), seeking a human king like all the other nations (8:5). But God the King will overrule, and give them a king raised from the low place (a sheepfold), not even honoured enough to be invited to the family feast. He will be raised to sit with princes in the seat of honour. This is how God works in the world. So take heart, weak and lowly ones.
Questions
Who is the anointed one that God will exalt the horn (power) of (v10)?
Prayer Points
- Pray for eyes to see God sovereignly working to raise the weak and needy in the world.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.