Blessed

I have been reading a new book by R.J. Rushdoony titled, "The Sermon on the Mount". It is basically a commentary of the Sermon on the Mount. At the beginning of Chapter 2 he makes the following comments:

"The Beatitudes again and again declare who are the blessed of the Lord. it is important, therefore, to know what this word means. The word used in the Sermon on the Mount is the Greek makarios; this word, however, is not used in a Greek sense, but in terms of its Old Testament and Hebrew meaning. Thus, in Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth," our Lord echoes two verses from the Psalms:

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Ps. 37:11)

For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. (Ps. 37:22)

The Hebrew word used in Psalm 37:22 is barak, to kneel. To kneel is to adore and worship, so that, when man blesses God, as in Psalm 103, he is rendering to God all his life, service, and substance. He declares himself to be God's possession. When a serf knelt before a feudal lord, he acknowledged himself to be the lord's man. To bless God is an even more total commitment and surrender.

For God to bless man means that God bends down in His grace and mercy to aid man; it is sovereign condescension on God's part." (The Sermon on the Mount, R.J. Rushdoony, pg. 2)

I am reminded of Lamentations 3:22-23, "It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because is compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."