And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” (Luke 1:46-55)
One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary Did You Know." The song has been produced by a lot of recording artist, but my favorite version is by Mark Lowry, the man who wrote it. What did Mary know?
Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46–55 is often called the Magnificat. It reveals far more than youthful emotion or spontaneous worship. It proves that Mary possessed remarkable spiritual depth, theological clarity, and profound confidence in the purposes of God. Far from being naïve or unaware, Mary demonstrates an astonishing knowledge of who God is and how His redemptive plan unfolds through history. In this passage of Scripture, we discover that Mary did, in fact, know much.
Mary begins, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (vv. 46–47). Her worship is not mere shallow sentiment, it is rooted deep theology. She identifies God as her Savior and recognizes her personal need for God's grace. This alone reflects deep humility and spiritual insight. Though chosen for a special role, Mary does not see herself as exalted by merit. She rejoices not in herself, but in God’s saving grace.
Her understanding of God’s character unfolds quickly. Mary knows that the Lord is attentive to the humble: “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant” (v. 48). She understands a consistent biblical truth: God delights in lifting the lowly and opposing the proud. Her words echo centuries of Scripture, particularly the Psalms and the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2). This familiarity suggests Mary was steeped in God’s Word, shaped by its promises long before the angel ever appeared.
Mary also understands the magnitude of what God is doing through her child. She declares, “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (v. 49). She sees her pregnancy not as a random miracle but as part of God’s mighty works. Mary knows that this child is not merely a blessing to her personally but a revelation of God’s holy nature to the entire world.
As her song continues, Mary demonstrates remarkable insight into God’s redemptive pattern in history. She proclaims how God scatters the proud, brings down the mighty, exalts the humble, fills the hungry, and sends the rich away empty (vv. 51–53). This is not political revolution, but moral and spiritual reversal. Mary understands that God’s kingdom operates on values radically different from the world’s systems. She sees that the coming Messiah will expose false security and realign power according to righteousness.
Mary understands that her child stands at the center of God’s covenant faithfulness. “He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever” (vv. 54–55). Mary connects her pregnancy directly to God’s ancient promises to Abraham. She knows this child fulfills the covenant, extends mercy to Israel, and inaugurates blessings that will endure forever. This is astonishing clarity for a young woman living in obscurity. Mary recognizes that God’s eternal plan is now unfolding through her obedience.
So when we ask, “Mary, did you know?” the answer from Luke 1 is clear. She knew God was Savior. She knew He lifts the humble and keeps His promises. She knew her Son was central to God’s eternal plan. And knowing these things, she responded with worship, humility, and faith.