¹ Praise the Eternal!
All of you who call yourselves the children of the Eternal, come and praise His name.
    Lift Him high to the high place in your hearts.

² At this moment, and for all the moments yet to come,
    may the Eternal’s name ascend in the hearts of His people.
³ At every time and in every place—
    from the moment the sun rises to the moment the sun sets—
    may the name of the Eternal be high in the hearts of His people.

⁴ The Eternal is seated high above every nation.
    His glory fills the skies.

⁵ To whom should we compare the Eternal, our God?
    No one.
    From His seat, high above,
⁶ He deigns to observe the earth and her thin skies,
    stooping even to see her goings on, far beneath His feet.
⁷ He gathers up the poor from their dirt floors,
    pulls the needy from the trash heaps,
⁸ And places them among heads of state,
    seated next to the rulers of His people where they cannot be ignored.
⁹ Into the home of the childless bride,
    He sends children who are, for her, a cause of happiness beyond measure.
Praise the Eternal!

Hannah: My heart rejoices in the Eternal One;
        my strength grows strong in the Eternal.
    My mouth can mock my enemies
        because I celebrate how You have saved me!

²     No one is holy like the Eternal One—
        no, no one but You;
        and there is no rock as solid as our True God.
³     Stop talking so proudly,
        and don’t let such arrogance flow from your lips,
    For the Eternal One is a True God who knows,
        and He weighs the actions He sees.
⁴     The bows of the mighty crack in two,
        but the feeble are given new strength.
⁵     Those who were full have had to work hard so they can eat,
        but those who were starving have become fat with rich food.
    The one who was infertile has borne seven children,
        while the one who bore many sits alone in sadness.
⁶     The Eternal One kills and brings to life;
        He sends down to the grave and raises up new life.
⁷     The Eternal One makes both poor and rich;
        some He humbles, and others He honors.
⁸     He lifts the poor up out of the dust,
        the needy from the trash heap.
    He raises them to sit with princes
        and seats them on a glorious throne.
    For the pillars of the earth are the Eternal One’s,
        and on them, He has set the world.

⁹     He will watch over the footsteps of the faithful,
        but the wicked will be made silent in the darkness,
        for one does not win by strength alone.
¹⁰     The Eternal One will shatter His foes;
        from His throne in heaven, He will thunder with rage.
    The Eternal One will be judge to the ends of the earth;
        He gives strength to His king,
    And power to the one He chooses to rule.

⁴⁶ Mary: My soul lifts up the Lord!
⁴⁷     My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator!
⁴⁸     For though I’m God’s humble servant,
        God has noticed me.
    Now and forever,
        I will be considered blessed by all generations.
⁴⁹     For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
        holy is God’s name!
⁵⁰     From generation to generation,
        God’s lovingkindness endures
        for those who revere Him.

⁵¹     God’s arm has accomplished mighty deeds.
        The proud in mind and heart,
        God has sent away in disarray.
⁵²     The rulers from their high positions of power,
        God has brought down low.
    And those who were humble and lowly,
        God has elevated with dignity.
⁵³     The hungry—God has filled with fine food.
        The rich—God has dismissed with nothing in their hands.
⁵⁴     To Israel, God’s servant,
        God has given help,
⁵⁵     As promised to our ancestors,
        remembering Abraham and his descendants in mercy forever.