The books of Samuel are bookended by two poetic passages. The first is Hannah’s prayer (2:1-10). At the other end is David’s psalm which comes at the end of 2 Samuel. Both Hannah’s prayer and David’s psalm encompass the themes of God’s holiness, power, and faithfulness. Hannah prays for the Lord to bring down the proud and mighty, and raise up the weak who trust in him. Her prayer will find a limited and temporary fulfillment in the reign of the shepherd David who replaces mighty Saul.

Hannah prays that God “will give strength to his king” even though there was not yet a king in Israel. But as early as Deuteronomy 17, there was an expectation that the Lord would choose a king for Israel, and certainly during the era of the Judges there was a longing for a king in Israel (8:22). In this sense, Hannah’s prayer is prophetic. Her words anticipate the dawning of a new era in Israel, the era her own son will introduce. The greater fulfillment of Hannah’s prayer will come in the arrival of the Lord Jesus. Little wonder then why Mary’s prayer sounds similar themes (Luke 1:46-55).

In the days of her grief, Hannah could not see what God was doing and what he would do. The truth would be far greater than she likely could have imagined. Her years of sorrowful waiting would work into Hannah’s heart the knowledge of God as a Savior, a Redeemer. And her son would help usher in an era which would represent a decisive turn in Israel’s history toward the longed-for Messiah, the King whose kingdom will never end.