I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
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Psalm 34:1
What does it mean when the psalmist says he will bless the Lord? Many of David’s psalms start or end with the exhortation to his own soul to bless the Lord. In Hebrew, the word “bless” means to honor and increase. Though God is all-sufficient, you can bless Him by magnifying and glorifying Him. This may be accomplished through worship and praise – coming into His presence with gratitude.
Theologian John Piper says that when David says “Bless the Lord,” he is saying that authentic speaking about God’s goodness and greatness must come from the depth of his soul. Christ Jesus was very aware of blessing the Lord, praising Him from the inner being. In Matthew 15:8, he said, ” these people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.”
You bless the Lord in your worship. You bless Him when you remember the things that God has done, and you bless Him also by seeking to do His will. He is blessed by you when you speak of Him to others.
Does your soul need reminding today of the things God has done for you, of the things He is currently doing, and of things yet to come? Pray for members of America’s military who may need reminding that God cares for them in every circumstance and to come before Him with hearts of praise.
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