March 12 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 2:1-10:

¹And 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.
⁸He 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.
⁹He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
¹⁰The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Devotional

Hannah's mouth can now speak with confidence over or against her enemies. Formerly she had been unable to silence the cruel taunts of her adversary Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was barren. But the Lord had helped Hannah; He had heard her prayer and had given her a son, Samuel. Now she can silence the taunts of her enemies; now she can triumph in her God. With her heart exulting in the Lord, with her horn exalted in Him, her mouth is opened wide against her enemies.

Hannah in her triumph, however, does not speak petty, bitter words. She does not return to her adversary like for like. Rather she warns the proud and the arrogant, the adversaries of the Lord. She uses her lips as instruments of truth and beauty. She speaks words of thanksgiving, love, and devotion to her God. She relates her blessing to Him; she praises Him for what He is and for what He does. She will rise from a contemplation of her own triumph and felicity to a celebration of the triumph of His Anointed, the coming Messiah, on whom all her blessing depends.

May God in His providence with His blessings open wide the mouths of His people today in triumph over

the enemies of their faith and of their Lord. And in their triumph may they not give utterance to petty, bitter, or proud thoughts; but may they speak profitable words of truth and love. May they praise their great and good Sovereign with joyful lips, declaring to men the sublime

teachings of His Word, and magnifying their great Redeemer's name.

Welcome to "Think on These Things," a twelve-week daily devotional prepared by the late Dr. John H. Skilton, an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and for many years Chairman of the New Testament Department at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

We are indebted to P & R Publishing and Skilton House Ministries for permission to use this copyrighted material on the OPC Web site. (P & R held the copyright from 1975 to 2005, at which time they reassigned the copyright to Skilton House.)