A Benediction Uttered by the Ministers of the Lord
A. Grosse. Psalm 118:26 Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 1. The parties blessing, the ministers of the Lord; we, who are called of God to this sacred function, who are appointed to make prayer and supplication for you, to pronounce a blessing upon you. Holy and faithful ministers are the instrumental causes of great blessings to God's Church and servants. 2. Here is their act, an act of blessing, We have blessed. Ministers bless the people sometime by way of vote and exoptation, prayer and supplication; sometime by way of vocal pronunciation, pronouncing good things in the name of God upon them; sometime by way of prophecy and prediction, foretelling great blessings to come; sometime by way of doctrine and instruction. They declare and open the blessings which God hath prepared for them, and the Lord by them, as by His ministerial instruments, communicates His grace and blessing to the people. It must be the care of ministers so to demean themselves in their function that they prove a blessing to the people. 3. Here is the object or parties blessed, you; you to whom Christ's coming is acceptable, you who wish well to Christ's kingdom, you who readily endeavour the exaltation of Christ's name and Gospel, we have blessed you. The labours of God's ministers prove a blessing only to such people as rejoice in, and endeavour the advancement of, the Gospel. 4. Here is the place from whence they blessed the people, out of the house of theLord, the place of God's public worship, where His saints are assembled, His ordinances sincerely handled, His name invocated, His Word preached, and religious duties celebrated. God useth to dispense His spiritual blessings in the public and sacred assemblies. (A. Grosse.) Parallel Verses KJV: Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. WEB: Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh.