10 Key Bible Verses on Blessing

This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series.

All commentary notes adapted from the ESV Study Bible.

1. Ephesians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Read More

Blessed be. The blessing that opens Paul’s prayer is similar to those that began first-century Jewish prayers that were commonly recited throughout the day (cf. 2 Cor. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3). in Christ. Paul’s praise emphasizes the mediation of Christ for all God’s blessings by repeating that these good things are ours “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, 9), “in the Beloved” (Eph 1: 6), or “in him” (Eph. 1:4, 7, 11, 13). Spiritual (Gk. pneumatikos) here communicates that the saving gifts of God are conveyed by the Holy Spirit (Gk. Pneuma), whose personal presence throughout this age is the guarantee of future heavenly blessings (see “spiritual songs” in Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Hence, these blessings are in heavenly places, since that is the Christian’s future abode in imperishable glory when he is resurrected in a spiritual body through the “last Adam,” the “life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:40, 44–50).

2. Genesis 12:2–3

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Read More

The divine speech that suddenly and unexpectedly introduces this section of Genesis is exceptionally important, for it sets the agenda not only for Abram’s life but also for his descendants. By focusing on how divine blessing will be mediated through Abram to all the families of the earth, it marks an important turning point within the book of Genesis. The repetition of the verb bless (Gen. 12:2–3) underscores the hope that through Abram people everywhere may experience God’s favor, reversing the predominantly negative experience of Gen. 3–11. God’s plans for Abram have both national and international dimensions, which are developed in the episodes that follow.

God’s purpose for Abram, that he become a great nation, stands in obvious tension with Sarai’s barrenness and the summons to leave his homeland. Abram is challenged by God to establish a new humanity. make your name great. This was the failed aspiration of the tower builders (Gen. 11:4).

Although Abram is called to be a blessing to others, much rests on how they treat him. Those who are positive toward Abram will experience God’s favor; the one who despises Abram will know God’s displeasure. The text speaks of those who bless (plural) but of him who dishonors (singular), emphasizing that many more will be blessed than cursed. Indeed, such will be the influence of Abram that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in him. This promise is later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob (see Gen. 22:18; Gen. 26:4; Gen. 28:14). in you. This may simply indicate “by means of you,” but it is more likely that this expression is designating Abram as the covenantal representative for a people. To be “in” some person, then, is to be a member of that people for whom that person is the representative (cf. 2 Sam. 19:43; 2 Sam. 20:1). This seems to be the way Paul takes it in Gal. 3:8–9, where “in you” becomes “along with Abraham”; it would also explain the origin of the NT expression “in Christ.”

3. Deuteronomy 30:19

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live. Read More

I call heaven and earth. Ancient treaties had witnesses to their ratification. Often those witnesses were the gods. In Deuteronomy, since God himself is a partner to the covenant, heaven and earth are called as witnesses. See Deut. 4:25–26 and note. Life, and living, is a key theme in ch. 30 (see Deut. 30:6, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20). To choose life is to choose God himself, to trust in God’s grace and circumcision of the heart.

4. Psalm 118:26

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
     We bless you from the house of the LORD. Read More

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! The crowds used these words in their shouts at Jesus’ triumphal entry (Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:9; Luke 19:38; John 12:13), indicating that they thought it was a special occasion. Jesus used it in speaking to Jerusalem; because of her resistance to God, her “house” (probably the temple) was desolate, and she would have to greet Jesus with these words if she was to “see” him properly (Matt. 23:39; Luke 13:35).

5. Matthew 5:43–45

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Read More

Love your enemies. God hates evil, but he still brings many blessings in this life even to his enemies (Mat. 5:45) by means of “common grace” (the favor that he gives to all people and not just to believers). These blessings are intended to lead unbelievers to repentance (Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4). Of course there is a sense in which God hates those who are resolutely and impenitently wicked (cf. Ps. 5:5; 11:5; Eph. 2:3), but God’s blessings of common grace constitute his primary providential action toward mankind here and now.

sons. The children of the heavenly Father are those who respond to his will as expressed in the ministry of Jesus (cf. 12:48–50). (Regarding “sons” [Gk. huioi], see ESV Preface.) sun . . . rain. God shows grace and care for all of his creatures; therefore Jesus’ disciples are to imitate God and love both neighbor and enemy.

6. Numbers 6:22–27

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

“So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” Read More

The Priestly Blessing. Placed here in the book of Numbers, this famous blessing shows that God’s will is to bless every Israelite, not just the Nazirites. But God’s blessing is mediated by the priests. The earliest archaeological discovery containing the covenantal name of God (Yahweh) in Jerusalem is a silver amulet containing this priestly blessing. It was found in a Judean tomb dating to the seventh or sixth century B.C.

The LORD bless you. God blesses by giving good harvests, peace, children, and his own presence (Lev. 26:3–13). keep. That is, “guard” and “protect.”

his face to shine upon you. God’s presence is like sunshine (Ps. 19:1–11). A shining face is a smiling face, a pledge of God’s good favor (Ps. 80:3, 7, 19).

The “countenance” is the face or the expression of one’s face. For God to lift up his countenance involves taking notice of and treating his people with favor. Peace (Hb. shalom) involves more than the English sense of “lack of war”; it means total well-being.

7. Malachi 3:10

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. Read More

As an evidence of wholehearted repentance (Mal 3:7), God promises that if his people become faithful in presenting their full tithe (the Hb. word means “a tenth”), then the desperately needed rain will come (Mal. 3:10), pestilence and crop failure will cease (v. 11), and the Abrahamic promise that all nations will call you blessed (Mal. 3:12; Ps. 72:17) will be fulfilled. The tithes were given to support the priests and Levites (see Neh. 10:38; 12:44), whose ministry was essential if Israel was to be faithful to its calling. By saying, “put me to the test,” God is challenging the people to give the tithe that they owed him and then watch to see if he would be faithful to his promise. God promises to meet all their needs, but not necessarily all their “greeds,” and to pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

8. James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Read More

James moves from evil temptations (which God never gives) to the observation that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from God (cf. Matt. 7:11). As in James 1:5, James reminds the readers of God’s goodness. In their trials, God is not tempting them to sin, but the difficulties in life are intended to strengthen and perfect them and make them more like God. God’s intentions for them are always for good (cf. Rom. 8:28). There is nothing in this world that is truly good that has any other origin than from above, namely heaven, descending from the Father of lights, which refers to God as creator of the heavenly “lights” (Ps. 74:16; 136:7–9)—a prime example of his good gifts. God is unchanging in his character and therefore in his giving of good, unlike the variation of the night changing to day or the shifting *shadow caused by the sun or moon.

9. Psalm 1:1–2

Blessed is the man
      who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
      nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
      and on his law he meditates day and night. Read More

Blessed. The truly happy person is happy because God showers him with favor. Jesus uses the Greek equivalent in Matt. 5:3–11; cf. also James 1:12. The Latin translation, beatus, is the source of the word beatitude. the man. A specific, godly individual (Hb. ha’ish, “the man”) is held up as an example for others to imitate. Such teaching by use of a concrete example is common in OT wisdom literature. wicked . . . sinners . . . scoffers. These are people, even within Israel, who refuse to live by the covenant; the godly person refuses to follow the moral orientation of such people’s lifestyle. Some have seen an increasing level of sinfulness in the terms “wicked-sinners-scoffers,” together with an increasing loyalty in the metaphors “walk-stand-sit”; however, it is likely that the terms “wicked” and “sinner” here are equivalent, while a “scoffer” is certainly more committed to evil.

10. Matthew 5:3–11

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” Read More

The Beatitudes all begin with “Blessed are . . .” They are called “beatitudes” from Latin beatus, “blessed, happy” (but see note on v. 3). These short statements summarize the essence of the Sermon on the Mount.

Blessed. More than a temporary or circumstantial feeling of happiness, this is a state of well-being in relationship to God that belongs to those who respond to Jesus’ ministry. The poor in spirit are those who recognize they are in need of God’s help. theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It belongs to those who confess their spiritual bankruptcy.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you … on my account. Just as Jesus experienced opposition and persecution, his disciples can expect the same. Their reward may not come on earth, but it surely will be theirs in heaven.

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