The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 34

rc>cog:ni~<'<l ns tile author of the $Teat salvation. 3._ Und~r Divine inspiration Hanna!~ ~<'C's m her own personal expenencc a type of vanous tnumphs which God achieves• for h_is people. f·. She is conscion~ of an overwhelming joy in her own deliverance, nnd 111 the prens1011 of future trrnrnphs of the Church. 5. A clear and joyous !'<'cognition of Christ's final triumph as the climax of all. The burden of this. glorious song is the salvation wrought by God, and this may be considered as- I. TYPICAL. The term "salvation" is very common in the Old Testament, and' its application is "exceeding broad," being inclusive of deliverance from evils and a realisation of positi,·e goo<l. It may be applied to an episode in personal experi- ence, as in the case of Hannah, David, and others; a soul's restoration to God through Christ; a nation's rescue from calamity and elevation to relative influence as "·hen Israel was delivered from the waters of the Red Sea and later from th~ As~yrian hosts; the deliverance of the Church from persecutio~, as in apo~tolic dayli' and subsequently ; and especially the completion of Christ's triumph over all enemies and the gathering into one of the redeemed children of God (Titus ii. 13 - Heh. ix. 28; Rev. vii. 9-17). The episode in the life of Hannah was typi,cal of all other salvations to be wrought by the same merciful God. As in the physical "·arid the trained eye can detect what are called "typical forms," so in the records of God's dealings with the saints the spiritually enlightened can see in the personal experience of individuals a foresha<:l.owing of numerous instances yet to occur in human experience. Omnia in Uno will hold true here. The elements of all salva- tions are found in the blessing vouchsafed to the II woman of sorrowful spirit." For there is in her case, as in all. a deep human need, arising from a pressure of a heavy burden, and the non-realisation of the very end for which life was supposed' to be given ; utter deJ;pair of human resources for the removal of the evil and the acquisition of the good ; Divine energy graciously acting directly on the hidden forces by which sorrow or joy are governed and produced ; Divine patience i11, working out the processes by which the want and sorrow shall be made to pass away; completeness of reJ;ult in the bestowment of the very boon so long desired and waited for; connection of the result attained with some ulterior issue of still "·ider blessing; and employment throughout of visible and invisible second causes. in working out the p'urposes of mercy. Each item found reality in Hannah's experi- ence, and has its counterpart in our deliverance from trouble ; in the restoration of the lost soul; in the rescue of a nation or Church from destruction; and in the com- pletion of the desire of him who from the travail of his soul looked on through the ages, saw, and was satisfied. Every deliverance of every saint now is a shadowing forth and a prediction sure and certain of the great salvation, in the bliss of which Christ, and angels, and men shall share. II. OccASION OF JOY. Naturally salvation in every form brings joy. It is th" great event of the life. It means freedom, rest, enrichment, full, sunny favour of God. Hannah could not but sing. Moses led the joy of Israel on the shores of the Red Sea. When Saul became Paul the Churches enjoyed " comfort of the Holy Ghost." The fatted calf and dance awaited the restored prodigal son. The very advent of the one true Saviour awoke the chorus of the skies, and heaven will resound with the joyous acclaim of innumerable hosts when the woes of earth are past and all power submits to Christ (Rev. xix. 1). It is noteworthy that the jop awakened by accomplished salvation is not a mere selfisli delight in one's own happi- ness. It is jo1( in God. In "thy salvation" do I rejoice. "In the Lord" is my "horn exalted. ' "The heart" is not set on the bliss of a Samuel's love, it II rejoiceth in the Lord." Again, it is joy in God saving tlirough ltis Anointed. The II pro- mised seed," the foreordained Messiah, was the spring of all inspired Hebrew expectation of blessing. The birth of a son called forth Hannah's song. It is curiously sweet to notice how like the echo of some distant melo«:1y is t~is ~~ng, reminding us of a Child more holy than even Samuel. Surely m the rnv1s1ble spheres angels recognised here the substance of that hymn th~y ~n. a later day sang over the plains of Bethlehem. In that severe but blessed d1sc1plme of years the spirit of Hannah had been trained to pass over in vision to a salvation more perfect than what Samuel would effect for Israel, and by a Child more truly given of God. The songs of faith and of fulfilment find alike their inspiration in "his King" and ·CB, II. 1-10.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 29