out-going of the heart is naturally _accompanied_ by
gift or ascription, as the case may be. When our hearts bless the LORD,
we sing a song of praise to Him for the great love wherewith He hath
loved us; but the blessing is not the song--it is the feeling that
prompts it. When the LORD blesses His people with peace and plenty, it
is His open Heart that moves His loving Hand.

Again, blessing is always accompanied with joy; it _is_ a joy, and it
_gives_ joy, both to the giver and the receiver. A little child playing
with his toys may be both happy and satisfied. But it hears the mother's
footsteps, it sees the mother open the door, and instantly the toys are
dropped and forgotten; the little arms are stretched out, and the
little feet are running to meet the welcome mother. Nor is this all; the
great, motherly arms are as quickly stretched forth towards the child,
and with longer steps the mother hastens to meet the little one, and
clasps it to her bosom, the loving little arms entwining themselves
around her neck.

But whose heart is the more glad? The little one's heart is _full_; and
the mother's heart is also _full_; but her capacity is greater, and so
her joy is deeper. And is not this true of our HEAVENLY FATHER? When His
heart blesses ours, and ours blesses HIM, _we_ are full of joy; but His
heart is infinitely greater than ours, and His joy in His people as far
exceeds all their joy in Him, as the infinite exceeds the finite.

Let us always remember in connection with blessing that the deep
heart-feeling is the primary thought. "Bless the LORD, O my _soul_; and
all that is _within me_, bless His holy Name." The praise of the lip may
be insincere; the blessing of the heart cannot be.

THE THREE-FOLD BENEDICTION: verses 24-26.

_"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:_

_"The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto
thee:_

_"The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee
peace."_

We have dwelt upon the meaning of blessing--the moving of the heart
towards an object of affection and complacency, and noticed that this is
naturally accompanied by gift or ascription, as the case may be. When
love overflows, loving words, loving embraces, or loving gifts
instinctively follow.

In the light of the fuller revelation of the New Testament we can
scarcely fail to see in this three-fold benediction the overflow in
blessing of the FATHER, of the SON, and of the SPIRIT;