Bible Commentaries

GOD’S BLESSING

‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you.’

Psalms 129:8

I. This is a passing salutation, uttered by a good man to his fellows, or even upon the growing corn, the fruitful life of nature, or the sheaves which the binder wraps in his bosom. Such salutations are common in the East, as they have been from time out-of-mind. When Boaz entered the field, which contained the jewel of his life though he knew it not, he said unto the reapers: ‘The Lord be with you!’ And they answered him: ‘The Lord bless thee!’ Indeed, the Oriental is so profuse in his greetings that Elisha charged his servant to salute no man by the way.

II. It is a religious act and a Christian duty to conform with sincerity to the usages of polite and ordinary courtesy.—It is impossible for those who follow Jesus Christ to be other than perfect in their manners, as true gentlemen and gentlewomen. A fine sensibility to the feelings and rights of others, a glad and gladdening presence, the scattering of kind and courteous words, the morning greeting and the evening salutation of peace—these are among the commonplaces of a high-toned Christian bearing. They are the manners of the Kingdom of God.

III. It is most necessary to control our feelings, to anoint our head and wash our face, to refrain from needlessly exposing our sorrows, to refuse the temptation to increase the heavy burden of the world’s sorrow by dilating on our own. Let us go through the world as a band of music down the street, which leaves it gladder. Let us seek to be blessed, and to be a blessing. Let us ask to be so filled that the cup may overflow. Let us be so filled with the Spirit, as Peter was, that those who are sick of soul may find healing in our very presence.

Illustration

‘The fairest scenes of earth have oftenest been the scenes of the most bitter suffering that man can inflict upon his fellow, and the scourge has ploughed long furrows of blood upon the quivering flesh of the slave. But there is a place where the afflicted soul may find a shelter. It is in the heart of God; not yonder in heaven, but here and now. He takes the breaking heart as a mother her sobbing child, who presses it to her breast. He pours in the wine and oil of His comfort, as the good Samaritan to the wounds of the waylaid traveller. He cuts asunder the cords with which our enemies had bound us, keeping us till they had leisure to complete their cruel intent; but when they come they find us gone. He is righteous, vindicating our lot, and causing those that hate us to be ashamed. They are as the withered grass of the housetops, whilst the righteous flourish as the palm tree, and grow like the cedar in Lebanon.’