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This is day three of our Wilderness Wanderings series on blessing with Rick Verkerk.

Today I am going to teach some Hebrew as I return to the Priestly blessing and talk about the first blessing, focussing in on two words.

Today’s Scripture is Numbers 6:24:

      ‘The Lord bless you and keep you’

The English word bless comes from the Hebrew word barak which means to kneel. The Hebrew word for blessing is berakah, but more literally, it means the bringing of a gift to another on a bended knee. The Lord Jesus came to earth to bless us. He came on bended knee to serve his people! (Mt 20:28)

The Hebrew word for keep is shamar which literally means to guard. A related word is shamiyr which means thorn. Shepherds in the wilderness would build a corral constructed out of thorn bushes. That would protect the sheep from predators, keeping them safe — a hedge of protection, a common phrase of prayer nowadays when asking the Lord to protect them.

Satan recognizes this hedge of protection. The enemy mentioned it when he talked to God about Job. The Lord said in Job 1:8, “Have you considered my servant Job?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land” (10).

For us, this protection means we can live and prosper under God’s care, like sheep can live safely in a corral their shepherds built for them. This is God’s daily care and provision for us. The purpose of this? To commission us to move forward to impact the world for Him because we have this blessing.

Knowing that this is a daily blessing should fill you with so much joy that many will notice. Through this joy, His name — which is invested in you — will impact nations. (Ps. 67:2)

Is your joy from God’s blessing noticeable to others?

Key Thought: The Lord will kneel before you, presenting gifts, and will guard you with a hedge of protection.