Bible Verses About Blessings

“‘May the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the LORD lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’”

This is the blessing the priests were told to speak over Israel, asking for God's protection, favor and peace. Many congregations still use it to close a service.

“Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you. ””

God calls Abram to leave home and promises to bless him so that all the families of the earth will be blessed through him. From the start, blessing is meant to travel beyond the one who receives it.

“May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us,Selah that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.”

The psalmist asks for God's blessing with a purpose in view: that his ways would be known across the earth. Here we pray to be blessed for the sake of others.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.”

The one who delights in God's teaching is compared to a tree planted beside water, steady and fruitful. The blessing is rooted in where we draw our life from.

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.”

A person who trusts the Lord is pictured as a tree that does not panic when heat comes. Trust, not circumstances, is what keeps such a life green.

““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.”

In the Beatitudes Jesus calls blessed the poor in spirit, the mourning, the gentle and the persecuted. His list turns our usual ideas of a good life upside down.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.”

Paul praises God for blessing believers with every spiritual blessing in Christ. The deepest gifts are found in him and are already ours.

“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

David calls the forgiven person blessed, someone whose wrongs are covered and who has nothing left to hide. Being forgiven is one of the greatest blessings there is.

“How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You.Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”

Those who live near God's presence and draw strength from him are called blessed. Being close to God counts as a blessing in itself.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”

James says the person who stays faithful under testing is blessed and will receive the crown of life. Blessing here is tied to endurance, not ease.

“A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

A generous person grows richer and whoever refreshes others is refreshed. Giving blessing away does not use it up.

“In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’””

Paul recalls a saying of Jesus that giving brings more happiness than receiving. It invites us to see generosity as a gift to ourselves too.

“But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Jesus tells his followers to bless those who curse them and to pray for people who mistreat them. Blessing is something we do even toward those who hurt us.

“Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.”

Paul repeats the same call: bless those who persecute you and do not curse them. It is a choice to answer harm with good.

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

Peter says we were called so that we might inherit blessing, which is why we repay insult with blessing. What we have received shapes what we give back.