The Songs of the Old Testament Translated into English Measures, Song 4
THE Song of HANNAH. 1 Samuel 2.
The Argument and Vſe.
HAnnah, the wife of Elkanah, being barren, and therefore vpbraided, and vexed by Peninnah her Husbands other wife; prayeth vntounto the LORD for a Sonne. And, hauing obtained him (as you may read in 1 Sam. and the ſecond chapter) praiſeth God in this Song for being ſo gratious vntounto her. And therein diuers things are obſeruable. Firſt, ſhe reioyceth in God her Sauiour, for ſtrengthning her, and giuing her the vpper hand of her Aduerſary. Secondly, ſhe declareth the holineſſe, the ſingularitie, and the vnequal'd power of God; at a reaſon, why her enemie ſhould be no more ſo arrogant. Thirdly, ſhe proceeds to ſhew, how vaine her aduerſaries preſumption muſt needs be, by further demonſtrating her Redeemers knowledge, his ſtrength with the certaintie of his decrees: and by declaring in ſome particulars, the workes of his Mercy and Juſtice. Fourthly, ſhe foretelleth the confuſion of ſinners; the weakeneſſe of humane …ſſi…tance; the deſtruction of thoſe that reſiſt God; and the glorious exaltation of him, whoſe aduancement the LORD hath decreed.
The Song eueryevery good Chriſtian may ſing in a literall ſence, with reſpect to his owne afflictions, and the goodneſſe of God, whenſoeuer by reaſon of his pouerty, or any oppreſſion, the vncharitable, proud, and malitious worldling, ſhall inſult ouer him: If ſo be he finde, himſelfe either outwardly deliuered, or inwardly comforted by the ſpirit of God. But th… Hymne, doth moſt properly appertaine to the whole Congregation; to be ſung in the perſon of the Church. And we ſhall much iniure the meaning of the holy-ſpirit, if we imagine that in this Song of the holy Propheteſſe, there is no other cauſe of it conſiderable, then the vnkindneſſe betweene her and Peninnah; and the Joy ſhe receiued by the birth of Samuel. We muſt then know that Annah (which ſignifieth Grace, or Gracious) was a type of the Church ef Chriſt: and that Peninnah (which is interpreted Forſaken, or Deſpiſed) was a figure of the Iewiſh Synagogue: Seeing without this knowledge, we looſe the principall conſolations which the Song affordeth vsus. For, when Annah had obtained her ſonne of God, and entred into conſideration of thoſe particulars which had befallen her; She did, by contemplating them, not onelyonly foreſee what other things ſhould come to paſſe concerning her Sonne; the Commonwealth of the Iewes; and her owne Family: but being further enlightned, prophecied alſo of the Kingdome of Chriſt.
By contemplating how Peninnah had triumphed on her barrenneſſe, ſhe foreſaw h…w the Sinagogue of the Iewes ſhould boaſt her ſelfe againſt the Gentiles in their firſt conuerſion. By her comfort in the birth of Samuel; ſhe apprehended the Churches Ioy in the natiuitie of Chriſt. By her fruitfulneſſe, and the weakeneſſe of Peninnah; ſhee was informed how the ſpirituall Ofspring of the Church ſhould be multiplied, and the children of the Synagogue decreaſe. Yea, raiſing her meditations aboue the firſt and ſecond obiects; ſhe prophetically perſonates the Spouſe of Chriſt, and deliuers a moſt excellent confeſſion of her Redeemer: Jn whom all theſe things are come to paſſe, as appeared at, and ſince his manifeſtation. For, the bleſſed Virgin Mary in her Magnificat, acknowledgeth many particular ſayings of this Song, to be euen then fulfilled.
Moreouer, this Hymne, may be ſung in our reformed Churches, to comfort vsus againſt the pride and arrogancie of the Romiſh Strumpet. For, though ſhee, Peninnah-like, lately vaunted the multitude of her iſſue, and vpbraided the true Church, as Mother, (onelyonly) of a few poore, and obſcure Children: Thanks be to God, ſhe that had ſo many; is now growne feebler. And our holy Mother, hath had ſeauen Children, (euen many) that are aduanced to be Kings▪ and to ſit vponupon the moſt eminent thrones of glory in the earth, according to this Prophecy.
The Song.
And Hannah prayed, and ſaid.
… NOw in the Lord my heart doth pleaſure take, My horne is in the Lord aduanced high, VntoUnto my foes an anſwere will I make, Be-cauſe in thy ſaluation ioy had I. Like thee there is not any holy one, For other Lord without thee, there is none. …
Nor with our God may any God compare;
So proudly vaunt not then as heretofore;
But let your tongues hereafter now forbeare;
From all preſumptuous words for euermore.
For why the Lord's a God, that each thing knowes
And all that is intended doth diſpoſe.
Their bow is broken now who were ſo ſtout;
Girt round with vigor, thoſe who ſtumbled are:
The full, themſelues for bread hauehave hyred out,
Which they hauehave left to doe, that hungry were▪
The barren now, doth ſeauen children owne;
And ſhe that had ſo many, weake is growne.
The LORD doth ſlay, and he reuiues the ſlaine;
He to the graue doth bring, and backe he beares:
The LORD makes poore, and rich he makes againe:
He throweth downe, and vp on high he reares.
He from the duſt, and from the dunghill brings
The begger, and the poore, to ſit with Kings.
He reares them, to inherit glories throne,
Becauſe the LORD'S the earth's ſupporters be;
He hath the world erected thereupon;
The footing of his Saints preſerueth He.
And dumbe in darkeneſſe ſinners ſhall remaine;
For, in their ſtrength, are all men ſtrong in vaine.
The LORD, will to deſtruction bring them all,
Eu'n eu'ry one, that ſhall with him contend,
The LORD from heauen thunder on them ſhall,
And iudge the world vntounto the fartheſt end.
He ſhall his King with ſtrength enough ſupply,
And raiſe the power of his Annointed high.