What Is True Blessedness? | Crossway

What Does “Blessed” Imply?

The primary phrase within the ebook of Psalms is “blessed.” True blessedness is, in a way, the theme of the Psalter. It’s noteworthy, then, that the theme of blessedness in Psalm 1 is linked to our perspective towards God’s regulation, and that is on the very starting of Israel’s songbook. This could seize our consideration as a result of it alerts that the blessedness of being God’s individuals—the blessedness from and about which we sing—is splendidly related to our relationship to his phrase.

Psalm 119—the longest psalm of all—begins equally: “Blessed are these . . . / who stroll within the regulation of the Lord! / . . . who preserve his testimonies” (Ps. 119:1–2). Blessedness is the theme of Psalm 119, and the psalm as an entire could also be seen as an expanded meditation on the blessedness that comes by God’s phrase. So it’s becoming to pause and mirror on what it means to be “blessed.”

Blessed

I’ve a nagging sense that after we learn the phrase blessed, we both really feel detached or suspicious. Each of those responses are probably the results of the way in which the time period is (over)utilized in our day-to-day lives. Scrolling by social media, you’ll discover footage of individuals admiring themselves within the mirror with the caption “#Blessed.” We see posts of luxurious spa days, lovely holidays, acceptance letters to grad college, good household footage—to not point out the extravagant exploits of numerous celebrities—all tagged with “#Blessed.” One author remarks cynically,

Calling one thing “blessed” has turn out to be the go-to time period for many who need to boast about an accomplishment whereas pretending to be humble, fish for a praise, acknowledge successful (with out sounding too immodest), or purposely elicit envy. Blessed . . . is now used to elucidate that coveted Ted discuss invite in addition to to have a good time your grandmother’s 91st birthday.¹

In our tradition, to be blessed is to have one thing you recognize many others would need or one thing you recognize is past the expertise of the common individual. This similar author quips, “There’s nothing fairly like invoking holiness as a approach to brag about your life.” Whereas there are a lot of examples of the time period being utilized in applicable and even humble methods, the omnipresence of its use, the issues it’s usually hooked up to, and the context through which it’s used has largely cheapened what needs to be a wealthy and significant time period. Does this fashion of understanding the blessed life have any connection to the biblical which means of the phrase?

True happiness is being seen as we actually are by God.

There are two Hebrew phrases usually translated “blessed.” The primary, baruk, usually refers to giving or receiving some sort of reward. Within the creation account, the person and girl are “blessed” as these created in God’s picture and referred to as to hold out his mandate (Gen. 1:28). Abraham is “blessed” because the associate in God’s covenant (Gen. 12:2). On this case, blessing is about bestowing presents from one occasion to a different. The second time period, ashre, refers back to the state of true happiness, and it’s this time period that we discover right here in Psalm 119, in addition to in Psalm 1. Now being “blessed” (baruk) and being completely happy (ashre) are clearly associated. The one who experiences true blessedness (ashre) is definitely somebody blessed (baruk) by God. The phrases overlap however are distinct. Outward blessing shouldn’t be an automated indicator that somebody’s life is really blessed (ashre). Superstar lives are a cautionary story on this regard.

That is additionally the sense of blessedness we discover within the Beatitudes. Our Lord says, “Blessed are those that mourn. . . . Blessed are those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matt. 5:4, 10). True happiness shouldn’t be present in circumstances or in stuff. Mourning and persecution should not the sorts of issues we’d usually label with #Blessed. True happiness is being seen as we actually are by God. In reality, true happiness is being related to God regardless of our scenario or emotions. To be blessed is to expertise fullness of life.

This text is customized from The Goodness of God within the Present of Scripture: 20 Meditations by Uche Anizor.

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