The Blessing

Red Rocks Worship sings “The Blessing” as a shorter, quieter arrangement of the song first made popular by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Elevation Worship. The text is taken almost entirely from scripture. It begins, “The Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”

That benediction is what priests in ancient Israel were told to speak over the people, and it has been used to close worship services for centuries. In this version it is followed by a chorus of “Amen,” repeated so that a congregation can respond to the words as a prayer for itself and for the neighbors around it. There is no second verse or bridge, which keeps the focus on the six lines of the blessing. The effect is a gentle arrangement that works as an opening, a closing or a moment of reflection in the middle of a service, and the listener hears the words as being spoken directly over them.

The blessing is Numbers 6:24-26. God's face shining on his people is also asked for in Psalm 67:1, and the Lord blessing his people with peace is Psalm 29:11.