What "Magnify" means
Darren Mulligan of We Are Messengers wrote this song with a direct eye on Mary's Magnificat, the song she sings in Luke 1 when she visits Elizabeth after the angel's announcement. Mary is young, unmarried, carrying news that will change everything, and her response is not panic or confusion. It is a song. Her song does not talk about her feelings about what is happening. It talks about who God is: he lifts up the humble, he fills the hungry, he has been faithful to his promises across generations. Mary is magnifying God, making him large in her sight and in the sight of those around her. Mulligan is taking that instinct and rebuilding it for a contemporary congregation, asking: what does it look like to do what Mary did? To respond to the work of God not by analyzing it but by declaring it, by making God larger in the room? The title "Magnify" is Mary's verb. She says in Luke 1:46: "My soul magnifies the Lord." Not describes, not explains, not thanks. Magnifies. Makes larger. The song is an act of that same magnification, attempting to make God bigger in the singer's perception through the act of declaring his worth. That is the theological work underneath what might sound like a simple praise song.
What this song does in a room
At 78 bpm in D, this song sits in an energetic but not frantic register. It has a lift to it without demanding the room go to an uncomfortable intensity. What it tends to do is create an upward movement. People who are standing start standing a little taller. Hands that have been at sides start to come up. This is not manufactured emotion. It is the natural response to a lyric that is asking you to expand your perception of who God is. When you agree in song with something, your body tends to follow the agreement. The song has a chorus that is built to be congregationally accessible, with a melodic line that most voices can find quickly and hold without strain. That accessibility matters because a congregation that can sing the melody confidently is a congregation that can actually mean the words. If they are working too hard to hit notes, they have no bandwidth left for the content of the lyric.
What this song is saying about God
The song is saying that God is worth more than the current frame can contain. Magnification is, by definition, an act of correction on what is small. When something needs to be magnified, it is because the current perception is too small to take it in at its actual size. The song is confessing that the congregation's current perception of God is too small, and it is asking for a correction. That is a humble posture in what sounds like a big, confident song. The God being magnified is specifically Mary's God: the one who "has done great things" for her, the one who "scattered those who are proud," the one who "has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful." The song is claiming that this same God is active now, in the room, in the lives of the people singing. The Magnificat's God is not a historical artifact. He is present and at work.
Scriptural backbone
Luke 1:46-55 is the song's entire foundation, the Magnificat itself: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation." The Magnificat is one of the most theologically dense songs in the New Testament. It is not just personal praise. It is a declaration about the character of God and the pattern of his action in history. When a congregation sings "Magnify," they are joining their voices to Mary's, affirming the same God, the same pattern, the same faithfulness across the generations she describes. In Advent seasons, this connection is particularly vivid. The congregation is waiting for the same arrival Mary was waiting for, and her song becomes their song.
How to use it in a service
This song is a natural fit for Advent, but it is not limited to it. Any service that is focused on the faithfulness of God, the character of God, or the response of praise to what God has done functions as a home for this song. It works well in the middle of a set after a more reflective or intimate song, providing an upward movement that does not feel manufactured. It can also function as a response song after a testimony or after a sermon that has traced the faithfulness of God through a passage of Scripture. In Advent contexts specifically, pairing it with the reading of Luke 1:46-55 before or after the song makes the connection explicit and can deepen the congregation's engagement with both the Scripture and the lyric.
Things to watch for as the worship leader
The Magnificat connection is worth naming for your congregation, but do not over-explain it. One sentence is enough: "This song is built on Mary's response when she heard what God was going to do. We are going to sing her prayer." Then let the song do the work. The other thing to watch is the specific theology of the song. The Magnificat is not a generic praise song. It has a social dimension that is worth being honest about. Mary sings about God bringing down rulers from their thrones and lifting up the humble, about filling the hungry and sending the rich away empty. If your arrangement or presentation softens those edges into generic uplift, you are singing a different song than Mary sang. Let the lyric be what it is.
A note for the team behind you (techs, vocalists, band)
For the band: D is strong for both guitars and keys. This song benefits from a full arrangement with a clear rhythmic identity. The kick drum and bass relationship defines the song's energy. Keep that pocket tight. The song's energy should feel like it is going somewhere, not like it is cycling in place. For backing vocalists: this song is a place to add significant vocal texture. The harmonies in the chorus can carry real weight. Make sure the backing vocal blend is tight before the service. Unison backing vocals with a slight delay or loose timing sound muddy in a praise song. For techs: this song benefits from a slightly brighter mix than a lament or intimate worship song. You want the congregational voice to feel like it is soaring a little. That does not mean harsh highs. It means an open, present mix that does not trap the sound at floor level. If you have a good reverb return on the room, this is a song where you can let it breathe.