Miriam Miriam (back left row, outside end) is the sister of the great prophet Moses, and she sang a canticle of praise for their escape from Pharaoh.
After the escape through the Red Sea and the destruction of the army of Pharaoh, Miriam led the women of Israel “with timbrels in their hands” in singing,
I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength and my song,
and He has become my salvation;
for He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
(Ex. 15:1-2)
Again, these words and their echoes are heard often in the course of liturgical worship. This story and this song are a powerful type — or prefigurement — of the salvation Christ wrought through His death and resurrection. The canticles sung by Miriam and Hannah are a fixed part of the service of Matins (morning prayer).
Get the collection in a handy booklet, A Guide to the Wall of Hymnographers and Poets, by Tracey Edson, available from the parish or from Amazon.com.
Hannah, Mother of the Prophet Samuel