"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: who hath blessed us, In every blessing of the spirit, in the heavenly places, in Christ."
_Blessed be God!_--It is the song of the universe, in which heaven and earth take responsive parts. "When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy," this concert began, and continues still through the travail of creation and the sorrow and sighing of men. The work praises the Master. All sinless creatures, by their order and harmony, by the variety of their powers and beauty of their forms and delight of their existence, declare their Creator's glory. That praise to the Most High God which the lower creatures act instrumentally, it is man's privilege to utter in discourse of reason and music of the heart. Man is Nature's high priest; and above other men, the poet. Time will be, as it has been, when it shall be accounted the poet's honour and the crown of his art, that he should take the high praises of God into his mouth, making hymns to the glory of the Supreme Maker and giving voice to the dumb praise of inanimate nature and to the noblest thoughts of his fellows concerning the Blessed God.
_Blessed be God!_--It is the perpetual strain of the Old Testament, from Melchizedek down to Daniel,--of David in his triumph, and Job in his misery. But not hitherto could men say, Blessed be _the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ_! He was "the Most High God, the God of heaven,"--"Jehovah, God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things,"--"the Shepherd" and "the Rock" of His people,--"the true God, the living God, and an everlasting King"; and these are glorious titles, which have raised men's thoughts to moods of highest reverence and trust. But the name of _Father_, and _Father of our Lord Jesus Christ_, surpasses and outshines them all. With wondering love and joy unspeakable St Paul pronounced this _Benedictus_. God was not less to him the Almighty, the High and Holy One dwelling in eternity, than in the days of his youthful Jewish faith; but the Eternal and All-holy One was now his Father in Jesus Christ. Blessed be His name: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory!
The apostle's psalm is a psalm of thanksgiving to God _blessing and blessed_. The second clause rhythmically answers to the first. True, our blessing of Him is far different from His blessing of us: ours in thought and words; His in mighty deeds of salvation. Yet in the fruit of lips giving thanks to His name there is a revenue of blessing paid to God which He delights in, and requires. "O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel," grant us to bless Thee while we live and to lift up our hands in Thy name!