1 For ages women hoped and prayed
to bear th'anointed One,
both Israel's Savior and the world's,
the new day's shining sun.
Did they not know? Did they not guess
what pain would then be theirs,
if God's anointed graced their home
in answer to their prayers?

2 Young Mary did not think to hope
for miracles of birth,
and God chose her to be the one
to make Christ's home on earth.
So Mary sang her heartfelt praise
of God who sets things straight;
the mighty fall, the weak are raised,
the hungry fill their plate.

3 Our hearts rejoice as Mary's song
becomes our hymn of praise.
For Christ has come, Emmanuel,
to claim our years and days.
Both present now and coming still,
accomplished fact and dream,
we join the song that Mary sings,
an earthly, heavenly theme.