Do you ever wrestle with how to pray for someone? This month we look at benedictions. From the Latin words for “well” and “say,” benedictions convey the goodness God calls us to say over one another. They voice agreement with the blessings God has in store for us, and they are a rich resource for praying for people.
I was many states away when I received an unexpected phone call from my aunt. She had called to tell me that my Nana had become weak, less responsive, and would not be with us much longer. “What is the blessing you say for your kids each night? Would you say that for Nana?” She held the phone up to my grandmother’s ear.
Choking back tears, I managed to say, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
My bedtime blessing for my children, and for Nana, was taken from one of the first benedictions in the Bible, the blessing God gave the priesthood of Aaron to say over the Israelites (Numbers 6:22-27). It expresses God’s will for His relationship with His people, pronouncing God’s favor over the nation of Israel, later extended to Christian Believers (Galatians 3:7-9).
I think my children sometimes hear these words as, “May God bless you… blah blah blah blah… peace.” The fact that we are all pretty fried by bedtime doesn’t help. I recently researched the Hebrew used in Numbers 6:24-26 and shared with my kids the depth of meaning in these Ancient words.
The Lord Bless You and Keep You
The Lord bless you and keep you. (Numbers 6:24)
The word “keep” here is the Hebrew word “shamar.” It is used to describe Adam’s responsibility to tend the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15), the cherubim’s swords that later guard the tree of life (Genesis 3:24), and the Lord’s assurance to Jacob after he fled his brother’s wrath. “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:15).
In verse 24, I see the Lord as an attentive gardener, cultivating his plants with nutrients that facilitate their growth and protecting them from harm. My own paraphrase for this verse would be, “May the Lord bestow his favor upon you and keep you close to Himself, protecting you with tender care.”
Illuminate
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. (Numbers 6:25)
“Panaw,” used in verses 25 and 26, describes a person’s physical face, expression, and gaze. It is also used to describe God’s presence (2 Kings 13:23).
The word for “shine” here is related to the Hebrew word “or,” describing the effect of the sun upon the earth (Genesis 1:15) as well as miraculous provision during the Exodus. “And the pillar of cloud … stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.” This light, in the presence of both darkness and evil, provided protection from both (Exodus 14:20).
Together, these words show God bringing His radiant light to His people by setting them before Himself. In His light, darkness dissipates. I read verse 25, “May God illuminate your life with His presence. May He bless you with unmerited goodness.”
Shalom
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:26).
“Shalom” may be one of the most recognized Hebrew words. Though translated “peace,” it conveys more than a restful state or the absence of conflict. Shalom depicts a deep soundness and contented wholeness, an enduring harmony within as well as without. It describes peace with others and peace with God. The reiteration of the word “panaw,” translated here as “countenance,” suggests that it is the face or gaze of the Lord that brings shalom.
Verse 26 could be read, “May He look upon you with grace and give you the enduring peace of wholeness.”
Receiving and Bestowing Grace in Benedictions
When my heart longed for all of God’s comfort and grace for Nana, I was grateful for the words of His tender care that God gave us centuries ago. This month, we’ll look at benedictions in Scripture, to receive their grace and bestow it upon others. Ask the Lord to show you any that you should commit to memory. If your church service includes a benediction at its close, let your heart be attentive. Fully hear and receive the words of blessing. They are rich descriptions of the abundance of life in Christ.
To each of you,
May 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.
[…] reminds us that God gives us the ability to do His will and is the first in our series on Benedictions. Our benevolent Father will not ask anything of us that He will not help us […]