The Lord Bless You And Keep You

Michael W. Smith's “The Lord Bless You And Keep You” sets the priestly blessing from the book of Numbers to a gentle melody. The words are few and nearly all from the passage: “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you, to shine upon you and be gracious, and be gracious unto you.” The repeated phrases are part of the arrangement and give the listener time to receive each line as a prayer for them.

The final section finishes the blessing: “The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you, and give you peace, and give you peace.” The second repetition of peace works like an amen. Songs like this are often used at the close of a service, because the words are spoken over the congregation by the leader, not by the congregation to God. Here the singer takes the role of the priest.

The whole text is Numbers 6:24-26, the blessing that God told Moses to give Aaron and his sons to speak over Israel. Each of its three parts is a separate request: protection, favor and peace.