Blessings and Benedictions

There are many ways to wish people well. Here are my collection of parting shots. Let me know what you find useful or missing!

Topics this page:
Benedictions Aaronic Benediction
Irish Blessings
Scottish Blessing
Polish Blessing
Traditional
Blessing Children
Yours?

Site Map  
About this site  

Benedictions

"Bene" means "good" as in the English word benefit.
"diction" means "pronouncement" as in the English word dictation.

Notice that benedictions are not about what people do for God, but what God does for people. That's consistent with the (protestant) gospel (good news) that God provides salvation through Jesus Christ not through what we do, but out of God's kindness.

The Hebrew word for blessing, benediction — b'ra·khah, pl. B'rakhah·khot — comes from berekh ("knee"), thus making a connection between worship and kneeling. To "make a B'rakhah" is to say a blessing, to bless. Matthew 9:8+

—Source: Stern, D. H. 1989. Jewish New Testament : A translation of the New Testament that expresses its Jewishness (1st ed.) . Jewish New Testament Publications: Jerusalem, Israel; Clarksville, Md., USA

The Aaronic Benediction

Perhaps the most famous benediction from the Bible was used in the Movie "Deep Impact". Here's what the President (played by Morgan Freeman) said before the big comet crashes to earth:

May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He make His face [cause his spirit] to shine on you and be gracious to you; may He lift up His countenance [smile] on you and give you peace. —Numbers 6:22-27 (NIV) explains why is this called the “Aaronic Benediction" (because it was spoken by the high priest Aaron).

A transliteration of the Hebrew above
(read left to right):

Yivarechicha Adonai V'yishmirecha;
Ya-Ayr Adonai panav Aylecha v'yichunecha;
Yee-saw Adonai panav Aylecha v'ya-saym l'cha shalom.


Transliteration from Hebrew:
Havenu Shalom Aleychem
means "peace [of] G-d."

More Benedictions from the Bible

Jude 24-25
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

1 Thess. 5:23 [NKJ]

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:20-21 [NKJ]

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, So that you may abound in hope By the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

1 Corinthians 16:23

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

2 John 1:3

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Colossians 3:15-17

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Ephesians 6:23-24 [World English Bible]

Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Amen.

An ancient folk blessing

May there always be
work for your hands to do.

May your purse always
carry a shilling or two.

May the sun always
play on your window pane.

May a rainbow chase after
each spot of rain.

May the hand of a friend
always be near you.

May God fill your heart with
gladness and cheer you.

---

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,
The foresight to know where you are going,
And the insight to know when you have gone too far.

An Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

---

May you always have
Enough happiness to keep you sweet;
Enough trails to keep you strong;
Enough success to keep you eager;
Enough faith to give you courage;
And enough determination to
Make each day a special day.

---

May the strength of God pilot us;
May the wisdom of God instruct us,
May the hand of God protect us,
May the word of God direct us.
Be always ours this day and for evermore.
-- St. Patrick

Old Scottish Blessing

If there is righteousness in the heart,
there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character,
there will be harmony in the home.
If there is harmony in the home,
there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
there will be peace in the world.
So let it be.

A light within that shines without,
without the taint of my humanity,
spreading rays of divinity.
So as I approach and touch
those for whom I care so much
may that light that heals and frees
be the Christ’s light seen in me.
—Keith Wallis (received 11/29/2008)

Polish Blessing

May your hand be outstretched to all you meet.
And may all men say 'Brother' when they speak of you.
May the land be fertile beneath your feet.
May your days be gentle as the sun-kissed dew.

Traditional Blessings

May your belly never grumble
May your heart never ache.
May your horse never stumble,
May your cinch never break.
— Traditional

“Live long and prosper”
by Spock (Leonard Nemoy)
of the first Star Trek TV series

“The elements be kind to thee, and
make thy spirits all of comfort”
—William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra, III ii

Honor, riches, marriage blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
— William Shakespeare, The Tempest

Yours? Let's Make Up Our Own

Email me and I'll add it here for others to use.

From Wilson 8/14/05:

Until we meet again...
May the kindness of God precede you.
May the wisdom of God be with you.
May the light of God follow you.

Thanks to Judy on March 23, 2007:

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
May you allow Him to mold you into what He wants you to be.
May you joyfully fill the role he has given to you and
feel peace in your soul.

Submitted by Lynn 1/2005

May the Lord walk beside you to comfort you.
May the Lord walk above you to watch over you.
May the Lord walk behind you to keep you safe.
May the Lord walk before you to show you the way.

---

May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.

Go now in Peace.
May the Love of God surround you,
May the Grace of God astound you,
May the Hope of God ground you.
AMEN
by Pearl Rohrer in Springfield, OR Dec. 2007

Edelweiss

May the Lord, mighty God,
bless, preserve you and keep you.
Give you peace, perfect peace,
courage in every endeavor.
Lift up your eyes and see His face,
and His grace forever.
May the Lord, mighty God,
bless, preserve you and keep you!"

This benediction became popular during the 1970's as a song sung to the tune of Edelweiss from the Rogers and Hammerstein film Sound of Music. However, the parent company holding the rights to Rodgers and Hammerstein's music has explicitly stated that it will prosecute congregations that continue to use the song without permission. [1]

Isaac's Blessing of Jacob

I was inspired by the 2008 movie "FireProof" to give my son a blessing.

I started with the most famous of these is when Isaac blessed Jacob.

It was an interesting challenge making the transition from the family-based agricultural context of biblical times to the urban business organizational context of today.

Genesis 27:28-29 (KJK)	For the 21st Century
From the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth,	From the daily blessings of heaven and all that the world has to offer,
may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine.	May God always give you plenty to eat and plenty to drink.
May many nations become your servants, and may they bow down to you.	May many work under you, and may they call you wise.
May you be the master over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you.	May you be the leader of many generations, and may your peers show you respect.
All who curse you will be cursed, and all who bless you will be blessed.	All who oppose you will be opposed, and all who favor you will be favored.