He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever (Luke 1:54-55).

The Psalmist cries out, “great is your mercy, O LORD.” God’s mercy for us is ‘other worldly;’ it is fathomless, far beyond human comprehension! It has no end, no bottom; it is inexhaustible! It is this mercy that God extended to us in salvation. It seems too good to be true, but it is true. It comes from the God of truth, through His Son, Jesus Christ! This mercy is generational! Mary’s song expresses this love for us as expressed through God’s mercy shown us. “And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty [the oppressive rich]. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever” (Luke 1:50-55). We have now entered into this covenant through faith in Jesus. He is Lord of all!   

What God has done for us through Christ is expressed in Mary’s song, which includes all of God’s people who fear Him, from generation to generation. We have received His mercy and experienced His help. Mary named three specific groups to whom God had been merciful: the helpless, the humble, and the hungry. The common people of her day were considered helpless when it came to justice and civil rights. They were often hungry, downtrodden, and discouraged, and there was no way for them to “fight the system.” Mary saw the Lord turning everything upside down: the weak dethrone the mighty, the humble scatter the proud, the nobodies are exalted, the hungry are filled, and the rich end up poor! The grace of God works contrary to the thoughts and ways of this world system. In spite of Israel’s destitute condition, the nation was still God’s servant, and He would help the people fulfill His purposes. “He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). God would remember His mercy and keep His promises. He will also remember you, “for [He] is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love” (Hebrews 6:10).