Hannah’s Peculiar Prayer

1 Samuel opens with Hannah’s grief over her inability to bear children. In her distress, she prays to the Lord at Shiloh, promising to devote her child to him if he gives her a son. Eli the priest notices her and, despite an initial misunderstanding, blesses her. Afterward, God opens her womb and Hannah conceives and gives birth to Samuel. After Samuel is weaned, Hannah brings him back to Eli to serve at the temple at Shiloh as she promised.

Then, in the second chapter, Hannah prays a rather peculiar prayer. She speaks of her joy and triumph in the Lord and then declares, “My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation” (1 Sam 2:1). What enemies? Is she referring to her previous infertility? Or does she mean Satan? Yet later on, she says that “the bows of the mighty are broken” (v. 4), “the wicked shall be cut off in darkness” (v. 9), and “the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces” (v. 10). She appears to have in mind actual people. But this seems rather excessive. All that happened is she had a baby. What does that have to do with the destruction of God’s enemies?

Not only that, but Hannah also proclaims that “the feeble bind on strength” (v. 4) and “those who were hungry have ceased to hunger” (v. 5). Indeed, God “raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes” (v. 8). Yes, God blessed Hannah greatly, but what does that have to do with the poor and hungry of the earth? God delivered her from her barrenness, but how does that equate to deliverance for the oppressed? Is Hannah out of touch with reality?

The answer, of course, is no. Hannah is being neither overdramatic nor irrational. Rather, as an Israelite who believes in God’s promises, Hannah anticipates a time when God will bring complete justice to the earth, judging the wicked and rescuing those who are broken and downtrodden. She therefore prays according to her faith, speaking prophetically about what she believes God will do in the future. The conclusion of her prayer sums it up quite well—note also the messianic overtones: “The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed” (v. 10).

Hannah prayed this way not because the birth of Samuel fulfilled these promises, but because it confirmed them. If God was faithful and able to give her a child, then he will certainly keep his promises concerning ultimate deliverance! In fact, anything that God does is meant to reassure us not only that he exists and is powerful, but also that he will bring about the day of the Lord. After all, the day of the Lord is the ultimate implication of God’s existence and power—a God who is loving and all-powerful surely will destroy evil, rescue the righteous, and redeem his creation (less obvious and more intriguing is why he has not done so yet). Whenever God works and does miracles, then, we too should anticipate the salvation he will bring on the last day and, like Hannah, proclaim this hope in our prayers.