1 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.

2 “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.

4 “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the Lord will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

This is another song of Thanksgiving. It is from the prayer of Hannah. It is an expression from her heart of gratitude toward the Lord for answering prayer that had been on her heart for years. She wanted a child. She was depressed about not having a child. Jewish women especially were looked down upon if they did not provide their husbands with children.

Hannah was a godly woman, who loved the Lord but felt unfulfilled without a baby. She was praying outside of the temple when Eli, the priest, thought she had been drinking. She explained to him that she was pouring out her soul to the Lord, hoping he would hear her cry. “If you give me a son, I promise that I will dedicate him to you for his whole life.”

The Lord heard her request, and Samuel was born to her. From a very early age she brought her son to the temple and dedicated him to the Lord’s service and work with Eli, the priest. As long as he lives, he will belong to the Lord.

Then came this song of joy. “God has helped me. There is no one like the Lord There are none like him.” She was barren and now gave birth. Some who mocked her were now barren.

Her testimony of thanksgiving also resulted in a gift. It was an especially important and costly gift - her only child, her son. She realized God gave her children and now she was giving little Samuel back to God, a full and happy woman. The Lord mightily used Samuel to lead the nation of Israel.

Thanksgiving for her was the joy of children and especially her firstborn,  Samuel.

Dale

Application:   List out the things you are thankful for today.

Prayer:   There is none like You, no one else can touch my heart like You do.  And I can search for all eternity Lord and find, there is none like You.