Hannah's Prayer

 "And this is the song of Hannah:

The bow of the mighty is broken,

but the weak are girded with strength.

The well-fed must labor for bread,

but the hungry need work no more.

The childless wife has borne seven children,

but the proud mother is left alone.

YAHWEH is LORD of life and death.

HE brings down to the grave and raises up.

YAHWEH makes poor and makes rich,

HE brings low and HE exalts.

HE lifts up the lowly from the dust,

and raises the poor from the ash heap;

they will be called to the company of princes,

and inherit a seat of honor.

The earth to its pillars belongs to YAHWEH

and on them HE has set the world."

- 1 Samuel 2:1. 4-5. 6-7. 8

(In her thanksgiving song, Hannah makes herself the spokesperson of all the despised people of the world.

YAHWEH is the GOD who saves the abandoned.  HE rejects those who put their trust in their arm and in their bow, in the food assured for their household, i.e., in themselves and their possessions.  HE manifests HIS glory in shifting the differences existing between people [as in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16:25].  YAHWEH brings down to the grave and raises up.  The song of Hannah has a prophetic vision.  Like Hannah, we ought to be proud of our GOD, even more than in the material progress of our society which blesses the rich and the powerful.

This text condemns those who seek to advance in society and promote their own welfare with the sole purpose of ensuring their family's future.  One who sides with the weak will be saved.  Whereas others feel ashamed of their poor background, as laborers or farmers or of the undeveloped condition of their country, the believer knows that the poor and the hungry contribute to the salvation of the world.  Where everything is wanting, it is easier to discover the value of human persons, and to understand that no world is worthy of humankind except one where food and dignity are given to all.)

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