Is it right to sing a song that says “I will bless the Lord”? Isn’t it God who blesses us?

The Greek verb eulogeo – which is translated “bless” in the Bible – means “to speak well of.” Although the one doing the blessing is often God, it can also be a human being. Christ blessed His disciples before He ascended into heaven (Lk. 24:51), and He blesses all believers with a spiritual inheritance (Eph. 1:3). Jesus told his followers “bless those who curse you” (Lk. 6:28). Christians are told: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse,” which means being kind to one’s enemies by not retaliating (Rom. 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:12). In these contexts, “eulogeo” is usually translated in the Bible as “bless.”

“To bless” can also mean “to praise.” It is done with our tongues (Jas. 3:9). Instances of this in the New Testament are: Zechariah after the birth of His son, John the Baptist (Lk. 1:64); Simeon when he took the Christ child in his arms (Lk. 2:28); and the disciples after Christ’s ascension (Lk. 24:53). In these contexts, eulogeo is usually translated in the Bible as “praise.”

Jesus blessed the boy’s meal (Lk. 9:16), and the bread at the Lord’s supper (Mt. 26:26; Mk. 14:22). It is evident that this involved giving thanks (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24). So to bless the Lord can also mean to give thanks for what He has done (1 Cor. 10:16; 14:16-17).

According to the dictionary, the most common meaning today of the word “bless” is “to consecrate by a religious rite” or to “make or pronounce holy” or “to request a divine favor,” while “to praise or glorify or extol” is a minor meaning of the word. So, “I will bless the Lord and give Him glory” (Frank Hernandez © 1981, Sparrow) would be better understood as, “I will praise the Lord and give Him glory.”

Published, February 2008