The passage
      v39. Mary and Elizabeth demonstrate a close friendship. They may well have been neighbors. As was typical of the time, priests tend to live outside Jerusalem.
      v40-41. The "greeting" was traditionally a formal address containing a statement about the person, eg. "Hail, King of the Jews!" The greeting caused a movement of Elizabeth's foetus, and so served as a confirmation that the Holy Spirit was involved, not only in Mary's pregnancy, but her own. The phrase, "filled with the Holy Spirit", is common to Luke. It is used in the Old Testament sense of someone empowered by God to perform a special task, often a prophetic one. The Spirit comes upon the prophet and he speaks. Such a "filling" is for the task at hand and is not ongoing.
      v42-45. All mothers are "blessed", but Mary has received a unique blessing. Mary is "fortunate" in that God has "favoured" her as mother of the messiah, but also particularly because she took the Lord at his word ("believed").
      v46-49. The Song of Mary, titled the Magnificat in the Latin Vulgate of the medieval church, is a lyrical poem similar to the Psalms in the Old Testament. It has a special affinity with the Song of Hannah, 1Sam.2:1-10. These particular verses express Mary's gratitude for the outpouring of God's special favour upon her.
      v50. Mary here affirms that God's kindness extends to all who reverence him. The word "fear" means respect rather than scared. Fear of God is "the Old Testament description of piety", Plummer.
      v51-53. The coming of the kingdom serves to reverse the perceived standing of mankind before God. Those favoured with power, wealth status, the seemingly righteous before God, will be brought low ("put down"). The "humble", lost, broken, "poor"....., the outcasts from God's mercy, they are lifted up ("exalted"). This great reversal, which achieves the redemption of the lost, is best taken as a present reality. In typical prophetic style, God's future intentions are proclaimed as already accomplished; God's Word is as good as done. We must take care that we don't read this passage as if it were a social-justice economic manifesto. The language used of Israel's deliverance from oppression is typical of the Old Testament. The New Testament writers happily use Old Testament imagery, but see deliverance in terms of an eternal redemption, a redemption inaugurated now, but realized at the second coming of Christ.
      v54-55. Mary ends by linking the deliverance of Israel to the promise made to Abraham by God. The New Testament writers see this promise fulfilled in Jesus, the "servant Israel." Those who are "in Christ" become the "servant Israel", children of Abraham through faith rather than natural descent.
      v56. Mary stays with Elizabeth for some "three months", possibly until John's birth.

Faith as reliance
      "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished."
      For many years I had a problem with the word "faith". I was never quite sure what it meant. Even to this day believers will speak of faith as if it were a divine quality bestowed by the Spirit. It is claimed that a person who possess this spiritual gift is able to accept God and his word without any doubts. I think it was this type of view that confused me, and I suspect that it confuses many others as well.
      If faith is a doubt-free acceptance of Jesus and of his word, then I don't have it. I often have doubts, I wonder about it all, I question the ground of my being. So, my faith is certainly not doubt-free.
      The other extreme is to see faith in Jesus as if it is a good bet. Having considered all the options in life, we take a punt on Jesus. I mean, if we are wrong we lose nothing, but if we are right we gain everything. This certainly is a good bet, but I don't think it's faith.
      Faith is reliance on the revealed will of God. Elizabeth declares that Mary is blessed, not because she is somehow more spiritual, righteous, even sinless, but because she takes God at his word. She went with what she was told, along with all her doubts, fears and questions. This reliance on God's word, this sticking to it, this firm resting on it, is what the Bible means by faith, saving faith. Faith is relying on what we hope "will be accomplished" in Christ our Lord.

v41
      hkousen (akouw) aor. + acc. "heard [Mary's greeting]" - "Heard" with the accusative refers to the thing spoken, as here; with the genitive "heard" would refer to the speaker.
      eskirthsen (skirtaw) aor. "leaped" - leaped, jumped, sprung. There is nothing unusual in fetal movement, but Elizabeth takes it as a sign, given that her unborn child has sensed the presence of Mary, God's "blessed" one. "The baby stirred in her womb", Barclay.
      eplhsqh (pimplhmi) aor. pas. "was filled" - The aorist indicating immediate action. As is typical of Luke/Acts, a person filled with the Spirit proclaims, preaches. This very much reflects an Old Testament momentary divine empowering for prophetic utterance, rather than a regenerative ongoing filling.

v42
      anefwnhsen kraugh/ megalh/ "in a loud voice she exclaimed" - she cried out with a cry loud. Possibly Elizabeth's words are in the form of a hymn, but more likely an enthusiastic declaration. "Burst into speech", Barclay.
      euloghmenh (eulogew) perf. pas. part. "blessed" - having been blessed. The predicate participle may express a wish, but more likely a statement of fact. The perfect tense expressing a past action with ongoing consequences. Possibly in a state of divine grace, but more likely having been divinely favored, in this case, given the honour to bear the messiah. A similar sense for "the child" as well; divinely favoured = set apart as the messiah - the divine Son.
      en gunaixin (h aikoV) "among women" - in women. A Hebraic superlative, although a comparative is possible. "You are the most favored of women", Goodspeed.

v43
      toqen "why" - from where, where. Possibly introducing a question, as NIV, or expressing surprise, "what an honour it is to have the mother of my Lord come to see me", Phillips.
      iJna + subj. "that" - Forming an appositional (possibly epexegetic, less likely, purpose or consequence) clause, "that/namely."
      tou kuriou mou "my Lord" - the lord, master of me. Expressing respect, not divine status, so "mother of the messiah."
      proV eme "to me?" - Emphatic.

v44
      gar "-" - for. Introducing an explanation of why Elizabeth is amazed.
      idou "-" - behold. Serving to introduce an important statement. "I tell you", REB.
      hJ fwnh "the sound" - Mary's voice stirred the fetus, not the greeting itself.
      en agalliasei (iV ewV) "for joy" - in extreme gladness, exultation. Interestingly, this emotion is attributed to the fetus, rather than the mother. This has prompted debate as to whether John has knowingly responded to Mary's presence.

v45
      makaria adj. "blessed" - blessed, happy. Favoured, "fortunate", Nolland.
      hJ pisteusasa (pisteuw) aor. part. "she who has believed" - the one having believed. Referring to Mary's response as an example of faith, of taking God at his word.
      oJti "that" - that, because, since. Introducing the reason for her present "blessed" state, ie. causal, "because", or the actual content of her blessed state, namely "who believes that fulfilment will come", Bock.
      teleiwsiV (iV ewV) "accomplished" - a fulfillment (as in the execution of a plan), completion (as in nothing need be added, or of something finished). "Because you believed that he will keep his promise", CEV.

v46
      The Song of Mary is in the form of a hymn of praise directed to God for his kindness toward Mary, and particularly toward remnant Israel. The ongoing debate on the issue of source may be of interest, but adds little of substance, cf. Bock 142-145.
      megalunei hJ yuch mou "my soul glorifies" - exalts the soul of me. A technical term expressing an act of praise that emerges from deep within our being. Following Hebrew parallelism, the thought is repeated in v47. "With my heart I praise the Lord and am glad", CEV.

v47
      hgalliasen (agalliaw) aor. "rejoices" - rejoiced. Unlike "glorifies", v46, which takes the present tense, the verb here is aorist and therefore possibly gnomic, expressing a timeless sense, so Fitzmyer, or better, ingressive, where the emphasis falls on the beginning of the action; "my spirit has begun to delight", Nolland.

v48
      oJti "for" - because.
      epebleyen (epiblepw) aor. "he has been mindful" - he looked on with care [upon]. Used of a loving preference toward another person, so another way of saying that God has favoured Mary.
      thn tapeinwsin (iV ewV) "the humble state" - humiliation, lowliness, afflicted state. Here probably of Mary's low social position - she was favoured despite her social position.
      thV doulhV autou "his servant" - of the bondmaid of him. Further underlining Mary's lowly state.
      makariousin (makarizw) fut. "will call me blessed" - will consider blessed. Mary "will be considered favoured by God" because of the "great things" done by God through her, v49.

v49
      oJti "for" - because. Mary gives another reason for her praise.
      megala oJ dunatoV "the Mighty One" - The God of the impossible; "the one who is able", Nolland.
      moi dat. "for me" - to, for me.
      aJgion to onoma autou "holy is his name" - holy the name of him. God is a unique God, a set-apart God. "He whose name is holy", TH/Brouwer.

v50
      An allusion to Psalm 103:17.
      to eleoV (oV) "mercy" - compassion, pity. Reflecting the Old Testament sense of God's covenant loyalty and loving kindness toward Israel, his hesed, Heb., "his faithful love", NJB.
      toiV foboumenoiV (fobew) dat. pres. pas. part. "to those who fear" - to the ones fearing. The word "fear" does not mean "scared", but rather is used of those who "acknowledge God's position and authority", Bock. "Respect / reverence."
      eiV geneaV kai geneaV "from generation to generation" - to generations and generations. "His mercy extends to all people in all ages."

v51
      Verses 51-52 most likely refers to Israel's enemies.
      epoihsen (poiew) aor. "he has performed" - he did, made [might]. The aorist tense, as with the ones that follow in v51-54, has been interpreted variously: i] past (referring to God's past actions), ii] gnomic (expressing a universal truth), iii] parallel to the Heb. iterative perfect (the weight is on the past action rather than the present state), iv] prophetic (referring to divine action in the last day, although in typical prophetic style, God's salvation is "now", just as much as it is "not yet"), cf. Bock 154. Gnomic (always acts this way), iterative perfect (has acted and continues to act this way), or prophetic (acts and will act this way) seem best. So, best translated with a present tense (although rarely so). Probably "performed", as NIV, but "displayed" / "shown", Phillips, is possible. "He acts mightily with the strength of his arm."
      bracioni (wn onoV) "arm" - Of course, a figurative use (an anthropomorphism) is intended, so simply, "he performs mighty deeds."
      dieskorpisen (diaskorpizw) aor. "scattered" - Most likely referring to the scattering of Israel's enemies.
      uJperhfanouV adj. "those who are proud" - haughty, arrogant, presumptuous. Those "confident in their own achievements", Nolland.
      dianoia/ kardiaV autwn "in their inmost thoughts" - in the thoughts of their hearts. Deep seated thoughts, therefore an arrogance that is ingrained. "He has swept away the high and mighty", Phillips.

v52
      kaqeilen (kaqairew) aor. "he has brought down" - he brought down, put down, tore down. The verb expresses vigorous action.
      uJywsen (uJyow) aor. "has lifted up" - lifted up on high. "Exalted."
      tapeinouV (oV) "the humble" - those of low estate. Clearly the remnant of Israel is in mind. It is they who are oppressed by God's enemies - secular authorities, etc.

v53
      peinwntaV (peinaw) pres. part. "the hungry" - hungering. Participle serving as a substantive. The reversal motif here, is it an actual or spiritual reversal? Probably we have a typical Jewish motif of national reversal to be realized in the blessings of the promised land, which blessings Jesus reinterprets in eschatological terms, cf. Danker (Proclamation Commentaries).

v54
      antelabeto (antilambanw) aor. "he has helped" - he helped (in the sense of to lay hold of to assist or support). "He has succored his servant Israel", Moffatt.
      mnhsqhnai (mimnhskomai) aor. pas. inf. "remembering" - to remember. The infinitive possibly forms a result clause, "with the result that," but probably causal, "because," "mindful of his faithful love", RJB, possibly even similar to a Hebrew infinitive which expresses a parallel thought, as NIV, but probably not purpose, "so as to remember his mercy", Williams. It seems reasonable to argue that divine action is motivated by divine love.

v55
      A syntactical problem exists in handling the two phrases found in the Greek "just as he spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham and his offspring, into the ages." The NIV views "just as he spoke to our Fathers" as a parenthetical remark concerning those who hold the information of God's intention to remember his people, while "to Abraham and his offspring" identifies the one (the people) whom God remembers. The other possible translation is to take both phrases as appositional, "as he promised our forefathers - (that is) To Abraham and his posterity for ever", Weymouth.
      tw/ Abraam dat. "to Abraham" - A dative of interest or advantage if the NIV approach is adopted, or if appositional, "spoke" is followed either by pros with the accusative, or as here, by the dative. The Lord remembers his remnant elect, Abraham, his servant Israel, forever, and we share that merciful remembering in Christ.