What It Really Means to Bless the Lord

Have You Ever Thought About What It Means to Bless the Lord?

We often ask the Lord to bless us — and it makes sense because He is far superior to us. But how do we bless Him?

Psalm 34:1 says:
“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

At first glance, this verse can feel intimidating. Words like all and continually rattle back and forth in your mind and can seem daunting, even impossible. But friend, don’t let that settle on you like a heavy weight. The truth of what it means to bless the Lord at all times is actually freeing.

What Does “Bless” Really Mean?

The Hebrew word used here is barak, which means to worship and adore, to kneel down, and to express gratitude. We understand that part. But what about “at all times”?

Surely we can’t spend every waking moment literally kneeling. We have kids to raise, bills to pay, and tasks to complete. But what if kneeling was more about posture than position?

To kneel before a king is to show honor and reverence. To kneel in worship is to show humility. To kneel in prayer is to show gratitude.

So to live life “knelt down” before the Lord means living a life of honor, reverence, and gratitude. It means worshipping Him by adoring Him, reverencing Him, thanking Him in the good times, and thanking Him in the hard times. This is the all.

The Power of Praise

The verse continues: “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

This may feel even harder. Because when life comes at us, the words that flow out are not always words of praise. But Luke 6:45 reminds us:

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good… for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

If I want praise in my mouth, it must first be in my heart. When I fill my heart with God’s Word, His truth, and His promises, then praise will naturally overflow.

Filling Your Heart

Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

When we tuck God’s promises deep inside, our hearts fill with truth, goodness, and faithfulness. They fill with hope, healing, and blessing. Soon there’s no room left for lies or negativity.

And when our hearts overflow, our mouths speak life. Suddenly our atmosphere shifts. People around us feel the change. Strongholds break. Darkness flees. And God gets all the glory.

A Prayer for You

If you’re struggling to fill your heart with worship and your lips with praise, let me pray with you.

Dear Lord,
I bring my friend before You today. Touch their heart. Touch their pain. Release them from guilt and condemnation that tells them they cannot live a life of praise. Silence every lie spoken over them. Let Your truth rise up in them: they are loved, accepted, whole, and worthy of Your grace. Fill their hearts today with an abundance of praise that overflows from their lips.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Dwelling Place Bundle — a digital devotional resource created to help you linger in God’s presence every day. Click the image to find out more.