What does it mean to bless the Lord ?
During our Community group time last week we had a great question coming from chapter 9 v5 about what it means to “bless the Lord…”
It definitely sounds like a strange concept to “bless the Lord.’ When we think of being blessed, we think of it as receiving something that is good from God, so how could man possibly do this toward God? In an article he wrote, linked below, Pastor John Piper wrestles with that question saying:
“My thesis is that in the Scripture when God “blesses” men they are thereby helped and strengthened and made better off than they were before, but when men “bless” God he is not helped or strengthened or made better off.”
In Nehemiah 9, we see a people that have been humbled and brought low and are very aware of their need for God. This shout of “bless the Lord” comes as they are on the verge of this long prayer of repentance, remembering how God has been faithful to their people, even though they as a people have not remained faithful to their God. The context here gives us a picture of a people who are desperate for God to show his mercy and favor upon them again and not that of a people who are so haughty to think they can bring something of value to God.
The word in v5 that is translated as “bless” means in Hebrew “to kneel.” In other English translations we see the word is translated as “praise” The idea we are trying to see conveyed here is that when we “bless” the Lord we are coming to Him with praise that is from a place of acknowledgement of our need for him. God is big and we are small; God is the giver of all good things, and we are dependent upon him for everything, and thus the only response His people can give is praise. So, when we read “bless the Lord” we see this is an act of heartfelt praise to our God and king who is the one who truly blesses.
Below are links to a couple of short articles that have some good things to say on this matter as well. I hope they help you “Bless the Lord your God!” today.
Pastor Matt
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-bless-god
https://www.gotquestions.org/bless-God.html
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