Hannah's Prayer - Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

• God is in Control - As we have been examining Hannah’s prayer I am again reminded (and I need to be) of how God is in charge and thoroughly acquainted with all that you and I are experiencing, if we are indeed a child of God. Moreover, we can constantly approach His throne of grace when we are anxious or troubled about anything. Notice that this is precisely what Hannah did in 1 Samuel chapter 1. As we have seen in chapter 2, her heart is overflowing with heartfelt adoration and gratitude to God for His tender kindness in answering her prayer. Job 1 teaches us the perspective that we are to maintain during our earthly sojourn. Psa 75 declares the attitude the believer is to exhibit.

1 Sam 2:1-7 "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. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up."

Php 4:6-8 “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Job 1:21 “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Psa 75:5-7“Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

• A Picture of Mankind’s Sin - In these verses God is also speaking spiritually as the expressions “making poor” and “bringing low” refer to God’s humbling a person by convicting him of sin and its consequences of eternal damnation and also revealing his need for a Savior. Luke 18 describes the heart attitude of one who has already been humbled (or saved) by God. Those who are spiritually poor recognize their spiritual poverty [with broken and contrite hearts] and deadness as typified by the references to “the dust” as well as “the dunghill”.

1 Sam 2:1-7 "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. 3Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 7The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 28He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them"

Ezra 9:6 “And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”

Matt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Luke 18:13-14 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

1 Pet 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Psa 119:25 “My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.”

• God Alone Provides Salvation - In this seemingly hopeless condition, God grants salvation – the gift of His grace. The phrase “thou that liftest me up” like the word “raiseth” refers to the resurrection of one’s soul. In considering that salvation is ALL the work of Christ, we would do well to remember the words of 2 Cor 8:9. Bear in mind that the poverty in view here is not financial but spiritual. It has everything to do with the fact that Christ had to become sin and suffer Hell in order to ransom His people from eternal damnation in order to secure their salvation, which is to “inherit glory” .

Psa 9:13 “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.”

Psa 61:2 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Psa 27:5 “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock .”

2 Cor 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Rev 1:5-6 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."