In 1 Samuel 1, we read the story of Hannah, a barren woman who prays that God would bless her with a son. God hears and mercifully answers, and Samuel is born to Hannah, who then responds with a wonderful prayer of thanksgiving and praise:

Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
² “There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
³ “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
⁴ “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
⁵ Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.
⁶ “The LORD brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
⁷ The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
⁸ He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honour.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s;
on them he has set the world.
⁹ He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
¹⁰ those who oppose the LORD will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

- 1 Samuel 2:1-10, NIV

Hannah worships God for His total sovereignty and rejoices in the truth that God justly and righteously determines the fate of His created people: while those who proudly oppose God and rebel against His rule in their lives will be ultimately brought low, those who humble themselves before the Lord in prayerful dependence will be lifted up and honoured.

This becomes the theme of the rest of 1 Samuel: as Samuel humbly grows in stature, Eli the priest and his worthless sons fall in pride; tall King Saul starts to fall when he stops obeying the LORD, and the humble shepherd-boy David starts to rise; the giant Goliath defies the LORD and ends up floored, as David with his sling of stones ascends to the throne. This is God’s world – where the tall fall, and the low grow.

• Praise God for His gracious, righteous, total sovereignty over the world He has made.
• Pray for hearts of humble and prayerful dependence on our gracious God.
• Pray for friends and family who proudly resist God’s authority over their lives.
• Praise God for King Jesus, His Anointed who has been exalted and sits at the right hand of God.

Questions for 2 Sam 16-17.

1. Do you find it uncomfortable that you can't get your head around how God can be in control of this world? Or Do you find it a great comfort that God is very powerful and since you are not able to control the smallest things are you willing to trust God for your ultimate security?

2. It is not a great comfort to hear that you are more sinful, more wicked, more evil than you realised. However how do you respond to the God who pursues you and demonstrates that you are more loved than you could ever imagine?

3. How are you likely to respond when you hear God call you to repent. Will you turn back to the God who has never turned his back on you?

 2 Samuel 1:1-27.   The King Has Fallen

Do you know a faithful forgiving friend? Someone on whom you can count. Someone who will forgive you for the same sin, over and over again. Someone who is self - sacrificing in your service?

1. Faithfulness – David expressed God’s own heart as he was faithful in his attitude to his sworn enemy. Even after his enemy died! 

¹¹ Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. ¹² They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan…2 Sam 1:11

2. Forgiveness – David expressed God’s own heart as he evidenced a will to forgive his enemy, again and again! 

¹⁷ David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow… 2 Sam 1:17-18

3. Friendship – David and Jonathan both expressed God’s own heart as they extended self-sacrificial service to a dear friend. Nothing weird going on here, just a high view, a heavenly view of friendship, in contrast with the very shallow view of friendship our culture offers! 

How the mighty have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
²⁶ I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
    you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
    more wonderful than that of women.

²⁷ ‘How the mighty have fallen!
    The weapons of war have perished!’…2 Sam1:25-27

Will you be a faithful forgiving friend? Someone on whom others can always count. Someone who will always forgive another for the same sin, over and over again. Someone who is self-sacrificial in their service for the sake of another.