Her request answered, and her son delivered up to God for His service, Hannah pours out her heart in exultant spirit in her prayer. Led of God far beyond the particular occasion which filled her with His praise, this mother's prophetic utterance carries on to the day when the Lord Jesus shall reign in righteousness in this world (verse 10). Not a word about herself does she say, save to tell that Jehovah is her object. Her once sad heart now rejoiced in Him, her strength—she had been the very picture of weakness as she wept and prayed—was exalted in Him, her mouth was enlarged over her enemies, because she rejoiced in God's salvation. This was enough to say about herself, but her words express the common experience of all the saints of God who, in trial and in need, go to Him with their burdens.
She turns to speak of Jehovah Himself, and at once mentions His holiness, that of which the Lord Jesus spoke in His prayer on the cross (Psalm 22:33But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (Psalm 22:3)); none beside Him, nor any rock like our God! In His presence pride has no place; He is a God of knowledge, weighing the actions of His creatures. Those who are self-satisfied, depending on their own resources, are brought low, while the hungry, the barren, the dead (in figure), the poor, are filled, raised up, enriched.
How exactly these verses express the blessed portion meted out to the confessed sinner who comes to God through Jesus; and the desolation that is theirs who trust in themselves, and await a lost eternity!
From the clear and happy testimony of Hannah, we are directed in verse 12 to the state of the priests who should have been examples of piety, and laboring to cleanse the people of the evil which as we have noticed in our readings in the book of Judges was sadly prevalent at this time. Instead, these 'two young men, though they had a godly father (to whose admonitions they gave no heed), were among the worst. Briefly, and solemnly the spiritual verdict is given in verse 12, and we may turn to verses 17 and 24, 25 for the character of their deeds in God's sight.
In such a scene it is pleasing to think of the child Samuel in verses 18, 21 and 26. God took notice, and the inspired writer of this book was directed to tell of this boy as serving Him in the midst of the flagrant evil of that day.
Eli had sadly failed in dealing with his sons; he had even honored his sons above God,—considered their wishes as superior to the word of Jehovah (verse 29), and a man of God came to the aged man, (God as it were refusing to speak to the priest directly), to bring the approaching judgment went home to his conscience. We are not told that Eli made any answer to the warning.
A faithful priest was to be raised up, and a king is promised before whom the priest should walk. Joshua had gone as directed by the priest of his day, who inquired of God for him, but the reference here is to Christ, the millennial King, greater than any priest.