Hannah’s Psalm of Praise

The story of Samuel begins with his mother’s tribulation. This seems to be the typical pattern of God’s dealings with His people. It is “through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Hannah was barren, and this condition caused her considerable distress, especially due to the harassment heaped upon her by her rival, Peninnah, Elkanah’s second wife (1 Sam 1:6).

Tribulation develops saints, as Paul understood (Rom. 5:1-5). The grace of God that causes one to rejoice in the hope of glory is the grace that first brings suffering. Gracious suffering shapes sinful character into godly character. This suffering produces endurance that leads to rejoicing hope. This was true of Hannah. Her suffering produced hope, hope that was realized in the man who would be God’s agent to establish a monarchy is Israel. The same difficulties will attend David before he will wear the crown. God humbles His servants before He exalts them (see 2:7, 8).

God heard and answered Hannah’s prayer (1:20) that she poured out in the agony of her soul before the Lord, and she delivered a son. She called his name Samuel, which means “asked of the Lord.” That name would remind her that her God was good and worthy of all her love and devotion. Promising to “lend” Samuel to the Lord for his whole life, she prepared him and when the time came, she brought the young child to Shiloh and presented him to Eli, the priest for service in the house of the Lord (1:24-28).

Chapter 2 opens with Hannah’s psalm of praise to God (2:1-10). Liberal Bible scholars have long rejected this beautiful Hebrew poetry as being a later addition to the text, written by a priest or scribe during David’s or Solomon’s reign. This idea was based solely on the mention of a king (v. 10), supposedly an anachronism since there was no king in Israel at that time. Even conservative scholars suggest that Hannah’s prayer was expanded by a well-meaning scribe during the monarchy. Cannot God prompt this mother of a prophet to say what every Israelite who knew the Pentateuch expected (Deut. 17:14, 15; 28:36)?

This psalm of prayer and praise is much deeper than its surface reading might lead one to see. For instance, it is generally regarded that Hannah’s mention of “my enemies” refers to Peninnah and others who made her life difficult (v. 1). Could this reference not be to the Philistines who would be subdued under David?

Certainly, the richness of the poetic language extends far beyond Hannah’s personal difficulties as she attributes to God greatness that exceeds His answer to her prayer for a son, even as wonderful at that was. Somehow, Hannah understood that this boy was destined to exceed all her hopes and expectations. The Lord was about to do great things in Israel.

Note verse five: “The barren has borne seven,” reminiscent of the blessing given to Naomi (Ruth 4:15). Seven is the number of completeness and perfection. This theme of humbling before exaltation is a basic principle of Scripture (Matt. 23:12).