The Hebrew word for bless is barak which comes from the word meaning “to kneel.” The word seems to carry with it the thought of elevating or honoring another above ourselves. That is, the Hebrew understanding of bless pictures a humble servant bowing before their king. Thus, the notion of “blessing God” indicates our acknowledgment of God’s superiority in all things. On the other hand, scripture contains more instances of God promising to bless us. In those cases, the picture is of the king honoring and elevating a servant. In both cases the connotation of barak is “to empower to prosper.”
When you bless someone, you empower them to prosper in some area of their life. The first words God spoke to man as recorded in the Bible are a blessing, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28 (NIV 1984) With those words, God empowered man to prosper in fruitfulness and dominion.
In the Greek, the word eulogeo, which means “to speak well of,” is translated as “bless.” This word also carries the connotation of causing to prosper. You can cause someone to prosper by speaking well of them and honoring them. The Greek understanding of blessing pictures someone offering an unsolicited recommendation or compliment.
Blessing versus prayer
So what’s the difference between blessing someone and praying for them? The word prayer means to express a wish or desire. On the other hand, when we bless someone we do or say something that honors, lifts up, or empowers the one being blessed. Praying for God to bless someone is to ask God to lift up or honor that person.
Prayer is asking (or conversing).
Blessing is bestowing (or empowering).
As parents God has given us the opportunity to bestow upon our children many things. Through blessing, we can answer two questions of every child’s heart. “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” Through blessing we can bestow upon our children identity and destiny.
If parents do nothing else regarding their children, one task God has given them is to make sure their children receive His message of identity and destiny during their growing-up years. … Imparting God’s message of identity and destiny to their children is what I call “blessing.”
THE POWER OF A PARENT’S BLESSING by Craig Hill, published by Charisma House 2013, pages 11-12