The texte
My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
for behold from henceforth…
all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty,
hath done great things to me;
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations,
to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm:
he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant,
being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed forever.
The Story of this Canticle
In the days that followed [the Annunciation], Mary rose up and went with all haste to a town of Juda, in the hill country where Zachary dwelt; and there entering in she gave Elizabeth greeting. No sooner had Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, than the child leaped in her womb;
and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Ghost; so that she cried out with a loud voice, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. How have I deserved to be thus visited by the mother of my Lord? Why, as soon as ever the voice of thy greeting sounded in my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed art thou for thy believing; the message that was brought to thee from the Lord shall have fulfilment.
And Mary said: “Magnificat anima mea domino”. St. Luke 1:39-46
The composition
This song was composed by the Blessed Virgin Mary during her visit to her cousin Elizabeth: Enthused by the wonders that God did for her and the human race, the Immaculate Mother of God let her soul sing;
The Magnificat is a liturgical canticle sung daily at the Office of Vespers, to the Latin text Magnificat anima mea Dominum… (My soul exalts the Lord…) from the Gospel of Saint Luke (I, 46 to 55). This is the canticle of the Virgin Mary
The text in Latin
Magnificat anima mea Dominum,
Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.
Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est.
Et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo.
Dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis, et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israël puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
Discover the Magnificat in Gregorian chant
