King James Bible
"He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts."
Mary depicts God's power through the anthropomorphic image of a mighty arm—a common Hebrew metaphor for divine intervention and deliverance. This phrase echoes Exodus imagery where God's "outstretched arm" rescued Israel, emphasizing that God actively demonstrates His sovereign power in human history. God disperses those who exalt themselves, using military language that suggests routing an enemy army. The past tense reflects Hebrew prophetic perfect, viewing God's certain future action as already accomplished. The proud are undone precisely where their arrogance originates—in their inner thoughts and schemes. This phrase reveals that God's judgment penetrates beyond external actions to the very seat of human pride, dismantling self-exalting plans before they can fully form.