Elizabeth’s Song
The Blessing of Believing
Luke 1:39–45 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
Well, I’m sure that after reading that passage you are wondering why we are still in Scripture related to the Christmas story. Well, I was actually doing some study for the last series, “the 4 songs of Christmas” a couple of weeks ago, and somewhere in the commentary I was reading it said that there were 5 songs, not four. It listed Elizabeth’s song that we just read as one of them.
“Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
Well, as it turns out, the reason that this “song” is not listed as a song was that the early church did not regard it as one. They didn’t turn it into a song as they did the other four. They didn’t give it a Latin name. And that is because it is not written in prose as the others, and it is more a celebration of Mary, rather than God. But, regardless of those things, I think it qualifies as a song of Christmas, and so I wanted to finish up our series by studying it.
One of the strange things about Christmas is how quickly we rush past some of its most powerful moments. We tend to linger where there are angels, and stars, and shepherds, and kings—but we hurry past quiet homes, older saints, and conversations that happen away from the spotlight. Yet some of the deepest theology of Christmas is spoken not in the temple, not in the fields outside Bethlehem, and not even from heaven—but in the living room of a priest’s house in the hill country of Judah.
Today we come to the fifth Christmas song, though it may surprise you that it isn’t technically sung. It is spoken, but it has all the elements of a song—joy, blessing, theology, praise, and prophecy. It is the song of Elizabeth, spoken when she hears Mary’s greeting and is filled with the Holy Spirit.
If I were to do this series again, I would put the songs in order according to when they were spoken. It tells the story of the Christian faith.
Elizabeth’s song -the blessing of believing –blessed is she who believed
Mary’s Magnificat — the song of humble, personal salvation
Zechariah’s Benedictus — the song of a man learning to trust God’s Word
The Angels’ Gloria — the song of heavenly witness
Simeon’s Nunc Dimittis — the song of peace at the end of life
Now we come to Elizabeth’s Song, and its theme is blessing—not material blessing, not circumstantial blessing, but the deep, spiritual blessing that comes to Mary. But I think it has a message for us as we approach another new year. Elizabeth exclaimed that Mary was blessed by God because she carried the Lord, gave voice to the Lord, and believed the Lord. And in this new year we can be blessed if we carry the Lord, proclaim the Lord, humble ourselves before the Lord, have His joy, and believe the Lord.
Of the Father’s Love Begotten is one of the oldest Christmas hymns still sung in the church today, with its words written in the fourth century by the early Christian poet and theologian Prudentius. Long before Christmas hymns were sentimental or picturesque, this hymn was written to teach doctrine—to confess clearly who Christ is and why His coming matters. It proclaims that Jesus did not begin to exist in Bethlehem, but was begotten of the Father before time itself, “ere the worlds began to be.” The hymn reflects the church’s early struggle to articulate the mystery of the Incarnation against false teachings, affirming that the child born in time is the eternal Son of God, fully divine, now revealed in human flesh.
Of
the Father's love begotten, Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, that have been, And that
future years shall see, Evermore and
evermore.
O
that birth forever blessèd, When the virgin, full of grace, By the Holy Ghost
conceiving,
Bore the Savior of our race, And the babe, the world’s Redeemer, First revealed
his sacred face— [Evermore and evermore.]
O ye heights of Heav’n adore him! Angel hosts his praises sing! All dominions bow before him And exalt our God and King. Let no tongue on Earth be silent, Every voice in concert ring— [Evermore and evermore.]
That makes this hymn especially fitting for Elizabeth’s song. When Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting and is filled with the Holy Spirit, she recognizes a truth that goes far beyond what her eyes can see: the child Mary carries is her Lord. Like the hymn, Elizabeth’s confession is not emotional speculation but Spirit-given theology. She does not praise Mary for her circumstances; she blesses her for believing God’s Word and bearing the eternal Son. Of the Father’s Love Begotten captures that same reverent clarity. It invites the church to join Elizabeth in confessing that the baby of Christmas is the eternal Word made flesh, the One “He is Alpha and Omega,” before whom angels, saints, and all creation bow. In a season often dominated by nostalgia and noise, this hymn draws us back to the heart of Christmas—quiet wonder, humble faith, and worship rooted in the eternal purposes of God.
Before we begin, let’s go to the Lord in prayer.
Gracious Father, as we open Your Word today and listen to the voice of Elizabeth, we ask that You would quiet our hearts and tune our ears to hear what Your Spirit is saying. Teach us what it means to be truly blessed—not by status or comfort, but by faith. Show us the joy of bearing Christ, the humility of hearing His Word, and the peace that comes from believing Your promises. Fill us with the same Spirit who filled Elizabeth, that we might recognize Your work, rejoice in Your salvation, and live as people who trust You completely. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Setting the Scene
Let’s set the scene for when Elizabeth spoke these words. Before Mary came to Elizabeth, she herself was told by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive a Child by the Holy Spirit, who would be the Savior of the world. The angel also told her that Elizabeth, her relative, had miraculously conceived in her old age, and that she was now six months pregnant. Luke tells us that after receiving the angel Gabriel’s announcement, Mary “went in a hurry” to the hill country. This was not a social visit; it was a spiritual one. Mary had just received news that would alter the course of her life forever. She was carrying the Messiah, and she needed confirmation, encouragement, and fellowship with someone who understood what God was doing.
Elizabeth, too, was living in a season of divine interruption. She was older, barren, and now miraculously pregnant with the forerunner of the Messiah. Her husband had been struck mute for unbelief, and she had lived 6 months in quiet seclusion, pondering what God was doing.
Now, Mary is newly pregnant. If she conceived by the Holy Spirit shortly after the angel’s announcement to her, and left immediately to visit Elizabeth, she has just been pregnant for about a week. She wouldn’t even having any signs. She had no confirmation of the angels words. She also would not have been able to get word to Elizabeth about her pregnancy. Elizabeth didn’t know who the mother of the Messiah would be. She just knew that her own child would announce him. So, this is a remarkable meeting.
When Mary arrives and greets her, something extraordinary happens. Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice, the baby leaps in her womb, and she is filled with the Holy Spirit. And what follows is not polite conversation, but prophetic proclamation. Elizabeth speaks as one inspired by God, recognizing truths that no human reasoning could uncover.
This encounter shows us something important: God often confirms His greatest works through the fellowship of faithful believers. And in this meeting, Elizabeth becomes the first person in Scripture to call Jesus “my Lord.” And Elizabeth begins her song by talking about how blessed Mary is. First she is blessed just because she is privileged to carry the Lord.
The Blessing of Bearing the Lord
42 “Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
Elizabeth’s first declaration is a pronouncement of blessing upon Mary—not because of Mary’s status, but because of whom she bears. Mary is blessed because she is carrying Christ. The blessing is not in her circumstances—she will face misunderstanding, shame, and sorrow—but in her calling.
This is a simple statement that has been twisted to elevate Mary to a position above her station. The text states that she is blessed, not the giver of blessing. It is a simple statement that she is privileged in that she will be the bearer of the babe who is the Messiah. It was not because she merited that privilege. She is blessed like Scripture says Zebulan and Naphtali are blessed because Christ ministered extensively in their territory.
Matthew
4:14-16 in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be
fulfilled, saying, 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land
of Naphtali, [a]By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee
of the [b]Gentiles— 16 The people who
were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, And those who were sitting in the
land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”
In fact we know that this was not intended to elevate Mary.
Luke 11: 27 Now it happened that while [a]Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” 28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
This establishes a vital biblical principle: true blessing is inseparable from Christ. Wherever Christ is present, blessing follows. Wherever He is borne—whether in the womb, the heart, or the life—God’s favor rests.
And while Mary’s experience is unique in history, the spiritual principle remains for us. Scripture tells us that Christ dwells in believers (Colossians 1:27). We are, in a very real sense, bearers of Christ in the world. We carry His name, His truth, and His gospel.
And we are blessed in that we bear Him.
This also reminds us that blessing is not always comfortable. To bear Christ is to bear reproach, misunderstanding, and sometimes suffering. Yet Elizabeth recognizes that Mary is blessed—not because life will be easy, but because God is at work.
The world defines blessing by ease. Scripture defines blessing by presence—the presence of the Lord.
Psalm 16:11 “In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
Well, Elizabeth cried out by the Spirit that Mary was blessed because she would bear the Lord, but also because she proclaims the Lord
The Blessing of proclaiming the Lord
41 “And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb…”
Mary comes to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth and begins calling out to Elizabeth. We can imagine this. She likely knew them from times when they were all in Jerusalem for feast days. She has arrived without notice to their home, and so she begins calling out foe them. Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting, and immediately something happens—not because of the sound itself, but because of what it carries. Mary’s voice carries the presence of Christ. When Christ is present, even ordinary words carry spiritual weight. Mary shouts a greeting, Elizabeth hears, and more importantly, the babe, John, 6 months in her womb hears the voice, and leaps in her womb. Now I don’t know what it means for a baby to “leap” in the womb. I know you women who have born children can relate to movement like that. And apparently some babies move a lot more than others. Well, apparently John moved so much that the only way that Elizabeth could describe it was that the baby was jumping inside of her. Why did he do that? Zechariah had been told by the angel that John would be filled by the Spirit from his mother’s womb. The Spirit of God was already in him. For what purpose? Well John will be the prophet of God above every former prophet of God. He will not only proclaim the Coming Messiah, he will be able to literally point to Him. And his job of pointing to the Savior begins even from the womb. This leaping was his first prophetic message.
This moment echoes a truth that runs throughout Scripture: faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Mary, pregnant with the Christ, shouts a greeting that spiritually conveys that she bears the Christ, John the Baptist, still in Elizabeth’s womb, responds to the nearness of the Messiah. Even before he can speak, he bears witness by leaping, and Elizabeth full of the Spirit proclaims Christ.
The Spirit enables her to discern what is happening and to speak truth boldly.
This indicates to us that blessing comes to those who will proclaim the Christ.
Matthew 10:32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.”
Isaiah 52:7 “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news… who announces salvation.”
The blessing of bearing the Lord, proclaiming the Lord
The Blessing of Humility
43 “And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?”
Elizabeth is struck with an immediate sense of humility. Under normal circumstances Mary, at 13 years of age , Elizabeth probably 70 or 80 would have a matriarch and child relationship. Elizabeth would be regarded as older and wiser, deserving greater honor for her righteousness before God. But Elizabeth’s response is marked by humility. She does not exalt herself as the older saint, the priest’s wife, or the miraculous mother. Instead, she marvels that Mary, this 13 year old girl, carrying her Lord, would come to her.
This humility mirrors biblical worship. True worship never begins with entitlement—it begins with wonder. Any time in Scripture that anyone comes into the presence of the Lord, they are humbled. Elizabeth I’m sure already felt such a great blessing from God that she would bear John, the forerunner of Christ, and she also gets the privilege of knowing the mother of the Christ.
And notice her confession: “the mother of my Lord.” This is not theological jargon—it is Spirit-given insight. Elizabeth recognizes the lordship of Christ before He is born, before He has spoken a word, before He has performed a miracle.
Mary also had this humility.
38 And Mary said, “Behold, the slave of the [af]Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Here we see that true recognition of Christ is always the work of the Holy Spirit. Flesh and blood do not reveal this; God does.
We also can receive the blessing of God by humility.
Proverbs
22:4 “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.”
1 Peter 5:5-6 “Clothe yourselves with humility… therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”
The blessing of carrying the Lord, proclaiming the Lord, humbling ourselves before the Lord.
The Blessing of Joy
44 “…the baby leaped in my womb for joy.”
Psalm 16:11 “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
Isaiah
61:10 “I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation…”
Joy is the inevitable response to the presence of Christ. Not shallow happiness, not emotional excitement, but deep, spiritual joy. John leaps because the Savior is near. Elizabeth rejoices because God is fulfilling His promises.
This joy is not based on circumstances. Elizabeth is still pregnant in old age. Her husband is still silent. Mary has yet to deal with Joseph who doesn’t know how she is pregnant. The political situation has not changed. And yet joy erupts—not because life is easy, but because salvation is near.
This is the joy faith offers—not escape from reality, but redemption within it.
The Blessing of Believing the Lord
45 “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
This is the heart of Elizabeth’s song. Mary is blessed not merely because she bears Christ, but because she believed God’s Word.
Elizabeth contrasts Mary’s faith—without mentioning it directly—with Zechariah’s earlier doubt. Mary believed without a sign. Zechariah demanded one. And the Spirit highlights faith as the mark of blessing.
God’s promises are fulfilled not because we understand them, but because He keeps them. Faith does not create fulfillment; it receives it.
This blessing extends to every believer. Scripture repeatedly affirms: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” The blessing of faith is not reserved for Mary—it belongs to all who trust the Lord.
Conclusion
Elizabeth’s song teaches us that blessing does not come from comfort, control, or clarity—but from faith. Blessed are those who bear Christ, proclaim Christ, who humble themselves, who hear His Word, and who believe His promises.
Christmas reminds us that God keeps His Word. And when we trust Him—when we truly believe—our lives become places where joy, worship, and blessing overflow.
May we, like Elizabeth, be filled with the Spirit. May we recognize Christ when He comes near. And may we be counted among those who are blessed—not because of what we have done, but because we believed the Lord.
Series Closing Paragraph
The Songs of Christmas
As we bring this series to a close, we see that the songs of Christmas are not merely historical reflections or poetic moments—they form a spiritual journey of faith. Zechariah taught us to trust God’s Word even when it challenges us. Mary showed us what it means to humbly receive salvation personally. The angels reminded us that true worship begins in heaven and spills into witness on earth. Simeon revealed how a life anchored in God’s promises can end in peace. And now Elizabeth teaches us that blessing belongs to those who believe the Lord—those who recognize His work, rejoice in His presence, and trust His promises to be fulfilled.
Together, these songs remind us that Christmas is not about sentimentality or nostalgia; it is about God keeping His Word. Each voice—old and young, male and female, earthly and heavenly—joins the same chorus: God is faithful, Christ has come, and salvation is sure. And as we move beyond the decorations and the melodies of the season, may these songs continue to shape our lives. May we trust God’s Word, magnify Him humbly, bear witness boldly, rest in peace confidently, and believe Him fully—until the day our faith becomes sight and our song joins the eternal praise of heaven.
Closing Prayer
Faithful God, we thank You for the testimony of Elizabeth, who recognized Your work, rejoiced in Your salvation, and pronounced blessing upon faith. Teach us to bear Christ faithfully, to hear Your Word attentively, and to believe Your promises fully. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we might live as people of joy, humility, and trust. And may our lives echo this song of blessing—not only at Christmas, but every day we walk with You. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and our joy. Amen.