Bless the Lord?

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews  employs a midrash on the encounter between Abraham and Melchizedek (Genesis 14) to demonstrate the superiority of Yeshua’s priesthood over the Aaronic system. In chapter seven he states explicitly:

Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better.    (Hebrews 7:7 – NKJV)

How then is it possible for David to write in the Psalms:

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!    (Psalm 103:1 – NKJV)

If the lesser is blessed by the better, how can a humble human being bless almighty God?

The answer is to be found in the next verse of the Psalm:

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…

The Hebraic concept of ‘blessings’ ‎[בִּרְכֹ֥ת b’rachot] to the Lord consist of short prayers of praise for all the wonderful things the Lord bestows upon us. Pious Jews say several blessings throughout the course of a normal day. These may include blessings of gratitude expressed to God for: granting another day upon rising; for food and drink or eating a piece of fruit; for smelling a fragrant spice,  or even in appreciation of our bodily functions working as intended when going to the toilet.

How much of your day is spent giving thanks to God for His rich blessings upon your life?

 

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