The Lord bless you and keep you
Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you
The Lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace

The Lord bless you and keep you
Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you
The Lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

The song “The Blessing” by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, and Elevation Worship is primarily based on the Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26, where God instructs Moses to have Aaron (the high priest) bless the Israelites. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” 

Many pastors of my past church life have used these very words in this text as a benediction (prayer blessing at the end of a sermon) for the people who gathered to praise God and learn from His Word on any given Sunday.  The Words complete God’s desire for our attention and for us to know it is God alone who blesses us and gives His peace unlike what the world can give.

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children…

Additionally, the song’s bridge (which speaks of God’s favor for “a thousand generations”) draws heavily from Deuteronomy 7:9 and Psalm 103:17, which emphasizes God’s steadfast love and covenant—lasting across generations!

The Blessing is today’s song in my heart, mind, and soul as we read Psalm 67.  The same God that David and musicians wrote of and sang to is the same God who looks down on us with a smile on His face as we read His Word and seek His heart’s desire for us.  He loves us no matter what; but He smiles on us when we seek to be like Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls knowing God will help us in and through the transformation to Life eternal with Him!

May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, he is with you

In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, he is for you

He is for you, he is for you
He is for you, he is for you
He is for you, he is for you
(Amen, amen)

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen…

Psalm 67, The Message

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.

God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
    Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Earth, display your exuberance!
    You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.
You mark us with blessing, O God.
    Earth’s four corners—honor him!

^1-7 God, mark us with grace
    and blessing! Smile!
The whole country will see how you work,
    all the godless nations see how you save.

God! Let people thank and enjoy you.
    Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Let all far-flung people become happy
    and shout their happiness because
You judge them fair and square,
    you tend the far-flung peoples.

Psalm 67, NIV, Our prayer for today:

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—
² so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.

³ May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
⁴ May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you rule the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations of the earth.
⁵ May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.

⁶ The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
⁷ May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Max Lucado writes;

This songwriter praised God for blessing the people. The writer promised to praise and offer sacrifice to God because God had always remained faithful.

God is worthy of praise. He not only grants us our life, but he guides us as well.

Praise is the highest occupation of any being. What happens when we praise the Father? We reestablish the proper chain of command; we recognize that the King is on the throne and that he has saved his people.

The whole purpose of coming before the King is to praise him, to live in recognition of his splendor. Praise—lifting up our heart and hands, exalting with our voices, singing his praises—is the occupation of those who dwell in the kingdom.

I believe that praise and prayer develop us for what we will do when we arrive in heaven. What’s your picture of what you’ll be doing there—sitting on a cloud? Polishing your halo? Playing your harp? That’s not what you’re going to be doing. You’re going to be involved in the ongoing process of co-reigning with God.

Make this your “thank God” day. Focus on the blessings, whether they are as simple as a beautiful tree or as profound as peace of mind. Perhaps you could thank him for your older neighbor, your stubborn child, your gas-guzzling car, your boss—thank God for all things.”—Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

So that the world may know Him, too…

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children

May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, he is with you

In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you

Yes, and Amen!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me…https://youtu.be/Zp6aygmvzM4?si=ofTRNXR3re8d0KyW