The Magnificat

Luther

But here we find two kinds of false spirits that cannot sing the Magnificat aright.  First, there are those who will not praise Him unless He does well to them; as David says (Ps. 49:18): “He will praise Thee when Thou shalt do well to him.”  These seem indeed to be greatly praising God; but because they are unwilling to suffer oppression and to be in the depths, they can never experience the proper works of God, and therefore can never truly love or praise Him.  The whole world nowadays is filled with praise and service to God, with singing and preaching, with organs and trumpets, and the Magnificat is magnificently sung; but it is regrettable that this precious canticle should be rendered by us so utterly without salt or savor. For we sing only when it fares well with us; as soon as it fares ill, we stop our singing and no longer esteem God highly, but suppose He can or will do nothing for us.  Then the Magnificat also must languish.  (21:307-308)

Therefore God lets us remain poor and hapless, because we cannot leave His tender gifts undefiled or keep an even mind, but let our spirits rise or fall according to how He gives or takes away gifts.  But Mary’s heart remains the same at all times; she lets God have HIs will with her and draws from it all only a good comfort, joy, and trust in God.  Thus we too should do; that would be to sing a right Magnificat. (21:309)

But the impure and perverted lovers, who are nothing else than parasites and who seek their own advantage in God, neither love nor praise His bare goodness, but have an eye to themsleves and consider only how good God is to them, that is, how deeply He makes them feel His goodness and how many good things He does to them.  They esteem Him highly, are filled with joy and sing His praises, so long as this feeling continues.  But just as soon as He hides His face and withdraws the rays of His goodness, leaving them bare and in misery, their love and praise are at an end.  They are unable to love and praise the bare, unfelt goodness that is hidden in God.  By this they prove that their spirit did not rejoice in God, their Savior, and that they hd no true love and priase for HIs bare goodness.  They delighted in their salvation much more than in their Savior, in the gift more than the Giver, in the creature rather than in the Creatror.  For they are not able to preserve an even mind in plenty and in want, in wealth and in poverty; as St. Paul says (Phil. 4:12): “I know how to abound and how to suffer want.”

Here apply the words in Psalm 49:18: “They will praise Thee when Thou shalt do well with them.”  That is to say: “They love not Thee but themsleves; but if they have but Thy good and pleasant things, they care nothing for Thee.” As Christ also said to those who sought Him (John 6:26): “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”  (21:309-310)

(On the verse in the Magnificat “All Generations will call me blessed because the might one has done great things for me, Luther says: )

Note that she does not say men will speak all manner of good of her, praise her virtues, exalt her virginity or her humility, or sing of what she has done.  But for this one thing alone, that God regarded her, men will call her blessed.  That is to give all the glory to God as completely as it can be done.  Therefore she points to God’s regard and says: “For, behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.  That is, beginning with the time when God regarded my low estate, I shall be called blessed.”  Not SHE is praised thereby, but God’s grace toward her.  In fact, she is despised, and she despises herself in that she says her low estate was regarded by God.  Therefore she also mentions her blessedness before enumerating the works that God did to her, and ascribes it all to the fact that God regarded her low estate. (21:321-322)