289. 'And blessing' signifies all these in Him, and from Him in those [angels]. By 'blessing' is understood every good that a man has from the Lord, as power and wealth and the things pertaining thereto; but chiefly every spiritual good, as love and wisdom, charity and faith, and the joy and happiness therefrom, which are of eternal life; and because all these are from the Lord it follows that they are in Him, for if they were not in Him they could not be in others from Him. This is why the Lord is said in the Word to be BLESSED, and also BLESSING, that is, BLESSING ITSELF. That Jehovah, that is, the Lord is termed 'Blessed' is plain from these places:-
The chief of the priests asked Jesus, Art Thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed? Mark xiv 61.
Jesus said, You shall not see Me henceforth, till you shall say, The Blessed One coming in the Name of the Lord Matt. xxiii 39; Luke xiii 35.
Melchizedek blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be the Most High God, Who has given thine enemies into thy hand Gen. xiv l8-20.
Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem Gen. ix 26.
Blessed be Jehovah, Who has heard my voice Ps. xxviii 6.
Blessed be Jehovah, for He has made wonderful His kindness Ps. xxxi 21 [H.B. 22].
Blessed be Jehovah from age to age Ps. xli 13 [H.B. 14].
Likewise, Ps. lxvi 20; lxviii 19, 35 [H.B. 20, 36]; lxxii 18, 19; lxxxix 52 [H.B. 53]; cxix 12; cxxiv 6; cxxxv 21; cxliv 1; Luke i 68. It is in consequence of this that it is here said 'Blessing', as also verse 12, and chap. vii 12; also in David:-
Glory and honour dost Thou set over Him, for Thou settest Him a Blessing* for ever Ps. xxi 5, 6 [H.B. 6, 7].
[2] This is concerning the Lord. From these [quotations] it can be seen what is understood in the Word by 'blessing God', that it is to ascribe all blessing to Him, also to pray that He may bless and to give thanks that He has blessed, as can be established from the following places:-
The mouth of Zacharias was opened, and he spoke, blessing God Luke i 64, 68.
Simeon took the infant Jesus up in his arms, and blessed God Luke ii 28, 30, 31.
Bless** Jehovah, Who has given me counsel Ps. xvi 7.
Bless the Name of Jehovah, show forth His salvation from day to day Ps. xcvi 1-3.
Blessed be the Lord from day to day, bless God in the congregations, the Lord out of the fountain of Israel Ps. lxviii 19, 26 [H.B. 20, 27]. * Hebrew and AV margin have 'blessings'. ** Hebrew has 'I will bless'.
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