Chapter 1:46-56 Prayer of Mary

1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

My soul doth magnify the Lord - The verb μεγαλυνειν, Kypke has proved, signifies to celebrate with words, to extol with praises. 

---This is the only way in which God can be magnified, or made great; for, strictly speaking, nothing can be added to God, for He is infinite and eternal; therefore the way to magnify Him is to show forth and celebrate those acts in which He has manifested His greatness.... "My soul doth magnify the Lord," is evidently the overflow of a full soul.

1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
My spirit hath rejoiced - Exulted. These words are uncommonly emphatical - they show that 

Mary's whole soul was filled with the Divine influence, 

and wrapped up in God.

1:48 For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

He hath regarded - Looked favorably, etc., επεβλεψεν.
All generations shall call me blessed - This was the character by which alone she wished to be known; viz. The blessed or happy virgin. 

---What dishonor do those do to this holy woman, who give her names and characters which her pure soul would abhor; and which properly belong to God her Savior! By her votaries she is addressed as Queen of Heaven, Mother of God, etc., titles both absurd and blasphemous.

1:49 For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name.

He that is mighty hath done to me great things - Or, miracles, μεγαλεια. As God fills her with his goodness, 

she empties herself to Him in praises; 

and, sinking into her own nothingness, 

she ever confesses that God alone is all in all.

1:50 And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.
His mercy is on them that fear Him - His exuberant kindness manifests itself in acts of mercy to all those who fear or reverence His name; and this is continued from generation to generation, because He is abundant in goodness, and because He delighteth in mercy.

1:51 He hath shewed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath showed strength - Or, He hath gained the victory, εποιησε κρατος....He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts; whom He always resists, and both in providence and grace, takes such methods, as tend to humble and confound them.

1:52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats,.... As mighty kings and emperors from their thrones, as He often does, in the course of His providence; setting up one, and putting down another: or the mighty angels, from their seats of bliss and happiness in heaven; who rebelling against God, opposing the incarnation of Christ, taking it ill, that the human nature should be advanced above theirs, were cast down....and exalted them of low degree; as David to the throne of Israel, from the sheepfold.

1:53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away.
Filled the hungry - the rich He hath sent empty away - God is here represented under the notion of a person of unbounded benevolence, who is daily feeding multitudes at His gates. 

The poor and the rich are equally dependent upon Him; 

to the one He gives His affluence for a season, 

and to the other His daily bread.

1:54 He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
He hath holpen [supported, αντελαβετο] His servant Israel - Israel is here represented as falling, and the Lord comes speedily in and props him up. The house of David was now ready to fall and rise no more; Jesus, being born of the very last branch of the regal line, revived the family, and restored the dominion.

1:55 As He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to His seed for ever.
To His seed - His spiritual seed: all true believers.

1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

And Mary abode with her about three months,.... That is, she continued with Elisabeth, about the space of three months; in which time, she had full satisfaction of the truth of the sign the angel had given her; namely, of Elisabeth's conception and pregnancy, for by this time she was ready to give birth; and she must now be fully assured, that she was with child herself: this space of three months is a term of time fixed by the Jewish doctors, to know whether a woman is with child or not, as in case of divorce or death: the rule runs thus "every woman that is divorced, or becomes a widow, lo! she may not marry, nor be betrothed, until she waits, , ninety days (i.e. three months), exclusive of the day in which she is divorced, or her husband dies, and of the day in which she is betrothed; that so it may be known whether she is with child or not, in order to distinguish between the seed of the former, and the seed of the second husband."