1 Samuel 2:2

Having spoken of her joy and triumph, her song proper now begins. She makes no more mention of herself; it is all the Lord, in His character and wonderful ways. She speaks His name nine times in her song of ten verses. She seems wholly lost in Him... When believers praise and thank God, they may be too taken up with their own concerns — their needs and circumstances. This is not the highest form of worship. It is not what occupies Hannah here. She rises above her own blessings. She is taken up with the varied and majestic attributes of God.

His holiness is first: "There is none holy like the LORD," she says. Holiness has first place in this cluster of glories. It is, we may say, one of the essential attributes of Deity; and without it, who could adore or even reverence Him? Yet it is the very trait of His nature to which men are most averse, and which they are most likely to overlook. He has therefore reminded us over and over again in His Word that He is holy. In this attribute of His being He is incomparable.

How soon we may slip away from this; how soon we get occupied with men! Such was the Person of the Holy One to her, that He exceeded all others. What an exclusion, and what a song!

Then she said, "there is no rock like our God." Look at Deuteronomy 32 and see how often that chapter calls God a Rock. Then think of the other rocks — the rocks of the nations, their idols, their support. Think of the huge contrast between God and them... "Our God" she said. This indicated some sense of relationship in her soul. She thought of God's stability, God's permanence. Nobody could overthrow God. Nothing could overthrow God. He is able in His power to bring into effect what He desires.

Recognizing that all blessing depends on God, she rightly begins by celebrating His glories. God is holy — "There is none holy like the LORD." God is omnipotent — "there is none besides you." God is eternal — "there is no rock like our God."

None is holy as He; no, none can be put beside Him: the rock is a faint image of His faithfulness, who is not simply her — but "our" — God.

Verse 2 celebrates the Lord's holiness. The believer cannot separate these two things. Anyone who has found God as Saviour understands that He is "holy... for there is none besides Him." But we must be holy to belong to Him. This is why He has sanctified us for Himself. From now on, all our conduct should show this.

We cannot go into God's presence and pray for His interests while we hold thoughts of revenge or anger against our fellow believers. We must clear all these things out of our minds and consciences... That subdues us when we go into the presence of God, when we remember that He is holy. There cannot be any levity in His presence, there cannot be anything that speaks of man and his glory in His presence.