Hannah's Prayer - An Answer to Prayer

• Pouring out our heart to God - In the Book of 1 Samuel, we are introduced to Hannah (whose name means “grace”). She was one of the two wives of Elkanah (whose name signifies “God has bought”), and she was distraught because she was childless. In 1 Sam 1 we find her in the temple praying and pouring out her heart for a baby boy. We also see this heartfelt communication of Lord Jesus with the Father in Heb 5.

1 Sam 1:10-11 "And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head."

Heb 5:7-9 “Who [Lord Jesus Christ] in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”

Psa 88:1 “O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry.”

Psa 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.”

• The Spirit itself helps us to pray according to the will of God - The indwelling Spirit of God in the child of God helps and makes intercession for them according to the will of God. Eli, the priest, thought Hannah was intoxicated because she was moving her lips without uttering a sound. She explained the reason for her sadness.

1 Sam 1:12-15 "And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 13Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD."

Rom 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

• An Answer to Prayer - Then, by God’s mercy, her prayer was answered. After weaning the child (which occurred several years later) she fulfilled her vow to God.

1 Sam 1:17 “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.”


1 Sam 1:20 “Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.”


1 Sam 1:25-28 "… And brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.”

• Speaking from the Heart - Her prayer is filled with praise and adoration for God and His magnificent salvation. The first phrase “My heart rejoiceth in the LORD…” sets the tone of what follows throughout. The Psalms are filled with similar expressions of heartfelt worship. In the second phrase “mine horn is exalted in the LORD…” the word “horn” represents God’s power, or strength, and is used in Habakkuk’s prayer in Hab 3.

1 Sam 2:1 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."

Psa 9:2 “I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.”


Psa 68:3 “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”


Psa 5:11 “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”


Hab 3:1-4 “A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.”

• The Joy of Salvation - The other element in the first two verses of Hannah’s prayer is the joy that all believers must express to their Heavenly Father for His incomprehensible kindness and grace on their behalf “my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation…”. In the final sense, the true Christian has been delivered from his greatest enemy – God, and His Law Book (the Bible). God’s Law is what condemns people to eternal Hell, which is the just reward for having committed even one sin. The Bible also maintains that prior to salvation all of God’s elect have been spiritually incarcerated by Satan, who is their spiritual father. Isa 25:9 manifests God’s miraculous salvation.

1 Sam 2:1 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation."

Eph 2:14-16 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”

Jam 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Isa 42:7 "To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”

Isa 25:9 “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

• True Stability - The next characteristic Hannah mentions in her prayer is the uniqueness of the Triune God, “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.”

1 Sam 2:1-2 "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God."

Isa 54:5 “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”

Hos 13:4 “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.”

Deu 32:18 “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.”

1 Cor 10:3-4 "And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."

Psa 18:2 "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."