Category: Bible Usage

The Girls Life Application Study Bible gets right to the issues and questions the next generation of young women face. It takes them into God’s Word in a way they can understand and engage with, allowing them to grow in their faith and grow closer to the God who loves them beyond measure.

The book of 1 John is filled with amazing truth to help Christians understand how to love God and others. Read this passage from 1 John 3 and then the note from the Girls Life Application Study Bible that allows girls to reflect on what the writer is saying and learn how to apply it to their lives.

1 John 3:7-10

“Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.”

Note from the Girls Life Application Study Bible

John warned believers against allowing Satan—the enemy of Christians—to tempt them to wrong actions. We all have areas where we feel especially tempted. But these verses are not directed at people who are working to overcome a particular sin even if for the time being they seem to keep on sinning. John is not talking about people whose victories are still incomplete; he is talking about people who make a practice of sinning and look for ways to justify it. That attitude comes from the enemy. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to avoid giving in to temptation. But he won’t force us to use his temptation escape route. We must choose to do so. Will you?

Take a look inside the Girls Life Application Study Bible

by Kim Adetunji, Tyndale Bible Brand Manager

As the Brand Manager of Tyndale’s New Living Translation journaling Bibles, I’ve had the immense joy of hearing firsthand how God has been moving in people’s lives through Bible journaling over the years. It has brought so much hope and peace and healing and conviction and encouragement and truth to so many—it has even drawn those who were far from God close to him. It has been so rewarding to see how Bible journaling has increased people’s engagement with God’s Word and has gotten people through bouts of depression, grief, hopelessness, and trials. It offers a whole new way to approach Bible study and interact with Scripture beyond note-taking, highlighting, or traditional journaling.

Many of us are drawn to Bible journaling because it appeals to our God-given creativity. And yes—we all are creative! Just ask any kid if they are creative. They don’t say, “Well, Suzy is more creative than I am, so I must not be” or “Bobby’s art looks nicer than mine, so I’m not really creative.” They simply say YES! Our social sharing of Bible journaling pages is great on so many levels, and it brings so much encouragement to others. But sometimes we can allow an underlying sense of unworthiness or dissatisfaction of our own creativity to settle in and discourage us from continuing. We can start thinking that our worship is inferior to others’ or that we aren’t worthy to worship God through our creativity. The truth is: God is glorified through your act of worship—no matter the skill or the lack thereof! God doesn’t operate the way we do. If he did, my singing during worship would be absolutely unacceptable to him. I connect with God best when I worship him through song—but that doesn’t mean I’m great at it. Believe me, I’m no Lauren Daigle. But God accepts—and loves—my worship. I know it sounds simple, but it is important to recognize this so negative thoughts don’t trickle in and hinder your ability to connect with God through Bible journaling. The tendency is to criticize ourselves or to stop doing something that brings us immense joy and connection to God because we don’t feel good enough. Let’s make a pact to stop seeking perfection and comparison and to allow our thoughts be focused on seeking God alone!

Bible journaling—and coloring Bibles—have been a popular way to study and interact with God’s Word in recent years, but more and more people are discovering it even today! In fact, Amber Bolton of Tyndale’s nationwide Inspire Bible TOUR just led a workshop in Indiana last weekend where she discovered that only 5 of the 50 workshop participants had tried Bible journaling before!

Here are some of their comments about how they felt inspired after the workshop:

• I am inspired to spend more “worship” time by being creative in my Bible.
• A new and creative way to worship him and be in the Word.
• Excited because the journaling really helps me get the Word in my mind and stay there.
• I am inspired to reflect more deeply on the Word of God.
• I never thought God wanted my artwork like I would want a child’s for my fridge. Never have I thought of mine as worthy. Thank you!
• I was inspired to reach out and build my relationship with God in a totally new and different way!
• The importance of thoughtfulness regarding the Scripture—how to process, to see the Scripture, importance of responding.
• The beauty of God’s Word comes to life as we pray, read, ask, and trust in him.
• I’m creative even though I thought I wasn’t! God made me special!
• This will help me dive deep into the Bible more often. This is a fun way to stay connected with God.
• I was inspired to become more religious through Bible journaling because I am not a religious person.
• I am inspired to see how God’s Word evolves through me as I share this process with my kids, husband, and friends.
• I’m inspired to share this with a friend who is going through breast cancer so she can journal and use it to hear what God is saying through Scripture.
• I am inspired to think through colors, a word, and image around a biblical text.
• I am inspired by everyone’s eagerness to Bible journal!
• It helped me to focus and connect with God better—to see him more clearly and to see how he relates to my life.
• I’m inspired by the way that I was able to lead others to God by hosting this workshop.
• Teach my daughters and friends to sit, slow down, and soak joyfully in the loving peace of God through color.
• I was inspired by learning how to apply Scripture to me personally writing and combining Scriptures to speak to me in a personal way.
• I was inspired by witnessing how God has led my new friend and me into a life of peace.
• I was inspired by God reminding me to be still!
• I was inspired by the 4-step process to help me remember to keep my focus on God when Bible journaling. Inspired to think outside the box.
• Inspired to do the journaling process—get comfortable with it, go in depth, and remember the insights.

It’s incredible to read through those comments, isn’t it? I love getting a glimpse into some of the ways God is moving in lives through Bible journaling. It’s fun to be a part of a community of people inspired to creative engagement with God’s Word. The reality is that when we are reading and engaging with the Bible, God can work in our hearts and prompt us to action, lead us, correct us, and move us toward fuller trust and obedience to him—and so much more! Let’s keep on reading, reflecting on, studying, applying, scribbling on, doodling in, highlighting, painting, washi-taping, tabbing, and expressing our worship creatively in our Bibles. To God be the glory!

This week Tyndale released the latest in the bestselling Inspire line of Bibles, the Inspire Catholic Bible! It is filled with art to color and wide margins for journaling and has all of the beloved features from the original Inspire.

Next month, the long-awaited Inspire PRAISE Bible Large Print edition will release—just in time for Christmas! It is filled with over 450 all-new line-art illustrations to color, large readable text, extra-wide margins for journaling, plus the one-of-a-kind beautiful full-color vellum journaling pages everybody loves from the full-size edition!

We all want to hide Scripture in our hearts, and sometimes interacting creatively with it can help us better remember what God is teaching us. We invite you to try it!

Find the Inspire Bible that is right for you or for a loved one.

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!

Worship the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing with joy.

Acknowledge that the Lord is God!

He made us, and we are his.

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

go into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good.

His unfailing love continues forever,

and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Psalm 100, NLT

Through three simple steps, Psalm 100 gives us a model for how to be more thankful. First, “come” (100:2). This is our invitation, the assurance that we are welcome, which needs a response. We have to choose not to stay in our present feelings but fix our thoughts on God. Second, “acknowledge” (100:3). This is a provocation to forget about ourselves and focus on God as we remember all that he has done for us. Third, “give thanks” (100:4). As we recall what he has done for us, it becomes easy to be thankful.

Here are some of the things the psalmists encourage us to thank God for:

• His creation (Psalm 104:1-30)
• His care of us (Psalm 95:6-7)
• His knowledge of us (Psalm 139:13-16)
• His salvation (Psalm 27:1-14)
• His answering of our prayers (Psalm 118:21)
• His provision (Psalm 147:7-9)
• His healing (Psalm 30:1-2)
• His rescue (Psalm 31:21-22)
• His victory (Psalm 118:10-16)

Thanksgiving needs to become a way of life for us. As Paul wrote, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Taken from the Christian Basics Bible. Take a look inside

We love hearing how our Bibles are bringing people closer to God. When we came across this writer and podcaster’s posts about The Wayfinding Bible, we were so excited. Wendy has graciously agreed to share why she loves this Bible and how it has helped her and her family go deeper into God’s Word. Thanks, Wendy! You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (@mrswendyjolson)

By Wendy J. Olson

I might be an awful person: I judge a book by its cover.

No, literally. When I buy a book, I decide if I will like it based on what the cover looks like. I’ve literally not read a great recommendation because I thought the cover was weird. It gave me the creeps. I’m usually spot on about these things too. Good cover, good book. I believe my logic to be sound.

So when I went in search of a new Bible several years back, I did just that. I looked at all the Bibles, compared covers, and made my decision based around some guidelines. First and foremost, I wanted a leather-bound Bible. It had to be wiggly—nothing is worse than a stiff Bible. I also wanted something I could actually read and write in the margins. I’m a big doodler. I like to take notes and even write the date in the margins of when I learned something. Sometimes I will even write where I heard it or who I heard it from. From year to year it helps me see what I’ve learned and how my faith is being shaped and is evolving.

Several hours on the floor of a Lifeway and mild mumblings to myself later, I finally settled on The Wayfinding Bible. Not only did I find the format to be most useful for my taste, but I liked that it had different “read-through” options. I should probably note here that I have never actually done any of these reading plans, but I still like having the options.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve always been the person scratching my head when someone says, “The Bible is clear.” Maybe I’m the only one, but the Bible has never been so black and white to me. I’ve noticed the more I read, the more I dig in and learn and feed my spiritual beast, the more perplexed I can find myself. Sometimes I just need plain English! This is the exact reason I purchased an NLT version. I was brought up in a small Southern Baptist church where nothing but NIV and NKJV were acceptable. God love ’em. It wasn’t until I heard my good friend speak and read from her NLT version that I was like, “Yessss! I need me some of that!”

Not only is The Wayfinding Bible in the New Living Translation, but it also has excerpts every few pages that go into more detail about what the Bible is saying, which I love. There is a brief description about the part of the story they are talking about; then an Observation Point, which gives a little bit of history and background for you; and finally an Exploration Point, which gives you further insight and maybe even poses a question for you to ponder. This is one of my favorite features of The Wayfinding Bible because it really brings everything around full circle. My kids like reading these parts, and when I’m stumped on how to explain something so they might understand better, this gets me out of a jam.

The Wayfinding Bible’s pages contain maps and historical references, including what it looks like there now, with geographical explanations of “where in the world” and pictures to help you visualize where you are in the story. They call these “Historical Markers” and mark them with stars throughout the text, and “Scenic Overlooks” are marked with binoculars.

Each book of the Bible contains “Book Introductions,” giving you the background and timeframe of the book, other events that happened surrounding the writing of the book, and a note about “Finding Jesus in . . .” each book. Book Introductions also map out the three “flight,” or reading, plans throughout each book of the Bible. I’ve learned a lot for myself with this feature. I love a little bit of history, but not too much, and figuring out what is happening when and where and to whom around the writing of each book. At the bottom of each Book Introduction is a timeline, showing you the year and, in the Old Testament, how far away you are from the birth of Jesus  or, in the New Testament, how far removed you are from his birth Sometimes we get lost in the logistics and shuffle in the Word and forget that the Bible isn’t written in chronological order. This helps recalibrate us and gives us a better sense of what each book means and what it meant to its readers over time. Eight times in The Wayfinding Bible you’ll find a “Getting Your Bearings” section where you can stop and get caught up on some history and geography as well as read some background stories that help tie it all together.

This may sound silly, but my two favorite things about this Bible are the layout and the fact that I can HIGHLIGHT in it!!! What!?!?! For years I was stuck with a Bible that was printed on such thin paper that I could spit through it or tear it so easily if my pencil was too sharp. The Wayfinding Bible is not such a Bible. This probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to most people, but to those of us who are serious about our studying and scouring and highlighting and . . . doodling, this is key! I have had this Bible for over four years now, and it has taken all I have handed it. Plainly, it has taken a beating. And it has survived, flawlessly.

And as for the layout, I like a Bible I can actually read, because I do . . . actually read it. I don’t like small print or weird margins or layouts. Nonetheless, I love the friendly layout of The Wayfinding Bible. It is friendly for my eyes and for my brain, and I need both of those to get along in order for me to comprehend anything.

So there it is, my favorite Bible thus far. Anytime I post a pic of my Bible, the internet goes crazy. People are craving something more friendly and useful because they are WANTING to read their Bibles, and this one delivers on all counts. I love it; my kids love it. If my house were to ever catch on fire, God forbid, I would grab my kids and my Bible. I read a post by a famous Christian speaker who said she packed her Bible in her checked baggage and it almost got lost. She said it felt like she had lost her child, and I know the feeling. If I lost this one, I would be heartbroken.

“If Found, Please Return and Reward WILL Be Given!”

I don’t think I’ve ever been attached to a Bible like this before, and I don’t think I will ever again. This is it for me. The only way it could be better is if the NLT and The Message versions had a baby and birthed it in this Bible edition. Who do we talk to about that?

Take a look inside the Wayfinding Bible

Tyndale House Publishers is saddened by the death of Grant R. Osborne—our friend, colleague, and a member of the Bible Translation Committee for the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT). But we do not grieve as those who have no hope. We rejoice with Grant that he is now in the presence of his Savior.

Grant was a member of Tyndale’s Bible Translation Committee (BTC) from the very outset in 1987. He served as General Translator for the Gospels and Acts. In that role he coordinated the work of five teams of scholars—one for each of the books in his section of the NLT translation. Each member of the BTC carefully reviewed every word in the entire translation. And because of the back-and-forth nature of the translation and review process, Grant read every word of the entire translation multiple times. Like all of his colleagues on the BTC, he made an enormous contribution to the church worldwide through his work as a translator of the NLT.

I remember many times when a small committee would be working on the wording of one of the Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles. Our goal was to render the meaning of the Greek text into everyday English. But sometimes we could get stuck on how best to understand the Greek text. We would turn to Grant and ask, “What does this text really mean? Will the average K-Mart shopper understand what this passage means?” Then Grant would give us a brief oral exposition on the meaning of the text, and we would scramble to capture it in everyday English. Grant had a gift for understanding the Greek text and helping to present it in modern English.

Grant was a professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He taught at TEDS from 1972 until his retirement several years ago. He is eulogized very warmly by his former colleague Dr. Scot McKnight on the Patheos website.

A reader asks: “We hear a lot about Matthew 7:1-5 regarding a log in your eye, but not much about verse 6. What is that talking about and how does it relate to the earlier verses?” Mark D. Taylor, CEO of Tyndale House Publishers and Director and Chief Stylist for the New Living Translation Bible Translation Committee, agreed to share his thoughts on this topic.

Good questions! Let’s take a look.

First of all, the series of teachings in Matthew 5-7 is often called the Sermon on the Mount. But the text in this extended section probably does not reflect everything Jesus said at that time. Rather, Matthew has organized it as a series of teachings on various topics. Any specific topic does not necessarily relate to the topics before or after it.

For example, the pericope (short section) in 7:1-5 relates to the hypocrisy of judging others when we have sin in our own lives. And isn’t the metaphor of a log in the eye wonderfully descriptive?!

Then we find the pericope (7:6) about throwing pearls to pigs. How does it relate to the previous verses? Scholars have differing opinions on that issue. My perspective is that the two passages are not specifically related to each other. Verse 6 uses metaphoric language. Here’s a very literal translation, as found in the NRSV:

Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.

The NLT provides a dynamic translation of “dogs” as meaning “people who are unholy.” And as it often does, the NLT footnote provides a more literal translation.

Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy.* Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.
            7:6 Greek don’t give the sacred to dogs.

Jesus is giving very practical advice, though it is presented in very colorful and poetic language. We can easily imagine how silly it would be to throw a string of expensive pearls to a herd of pigs. The pearls would be destroyed and the pigs would not be the least bit appreciative. In the dietary laws of the Old Testament, pigs and dogs were both considered unclean (Lev. 11:7, 27). So Jesus uses dogs as a metaphor for people who are unclean, or sinful. He is telling his listeners—including us today—that it is useless to give what is holy to people who are unholy.

The notes in the Life Application Study Bible make this application at Matt. 7:6: “Jesus says that we should not entrust holy teachings to unholy or unclean people. It is futile to try to teach holy concepts to people who don’t want to listen and will only tear apart what we say. We should not stop giving God’s Word to unbelievers, but we should be wise and discerning in our witnessing, so that we will not be wasting our time.”

If you have a question let us know in the comments or reach out on our social media pages. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We will try to answer your questions here on the blog.

For Jesus’ disciples following him meant leaving everything else behind. We don’t know a lot about their personal lives and what they left behind, but what we do know is they had to leave it all behind and make a radical lifestyle change to follow Him. Read these passages from Luke and then the Exploration Point from the Wayfinding Bible and consider what you are willing to give up to follow Jesus.

Luke 5:1-11, NLT

“One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,*  great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon,*  its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.’ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, ‘Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.’ For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!’ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”

Luke 5:27-32, NLT

“Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with such scum?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.’

Exploration Point from the Wayfinding Bible

“Following Jesus came at a cost. Peter himself was a working fisherman, yet he hauled up his boat and put down his nets to give his attention to this amazing teacher. For the twelve men closest to Jesus, discipleship required them to sacrifice careers and their families. They left their homes and followed Jesus all over the countryside and into Jerusalem. They were now completely focused on learning from Jesus – a very different kind of life. Would we be willing to make radical lifestyle changes in order to follow Jesus?”

Look Inside the Wayfinding Bible

Becoming a Christian is a glorious thing. Figuring out what being a Christian means in everyday life can be a bit daunting. There are new ideas to absorb, a whole new vocabulary to learn, and then there’s the Bible. It’s not in chronological order, and more than a little of it can seem just plain weird and bewildering. That’s where the New Believer’s Bible comes in.

Download Psalms, John and Romans

Today Greg Laurie is a well-known pastor, evangelist, and author, but once he, too, was a new believer who didn’t really understand the ins and outs of the Bible. The New Believer’s Bible was developed to help new Christians grow in their faith through reading, studying, and understanding God’s Word. Four study tracks  present the essentials of the Christian faith in a way that is easy to follow and understand. As the reader progresses through the four tracks, they will gain a clearer understanding of who God is and how he wants us all to live.

The New Believer’s Bible also includes a number of other special features to help new Christians grow, including a glossary of Christian terms, charts, reading plans, an overview of the Bible, memory verses, and more.

Why do I feel so anxious? Why can’t I forgive? Why is my life so difficult?  Often, we get pelted with questions, turmoil and doubt when we feel at our weakest, stressed and overwhelmed. While Jesus cautioned us that we would have many trials and sorrows here on earth, it is encouraging to know that he overcame the world (John 16:33). He wants us to receive peace, hope, and understanding through the holy Word of God. But you might ask, how can I find all of this for my life, for my family’s life, or for my friend’s life? The Bible is so big and intimidating. I don’t know where to begin.

Well here is a great place to start! The new HelpFinder Bible was created with your questions, needs, and concerns in mind. The powerful HelpFinder index at the front of the Bible provides instant access to thousands of verses and application notes on well over 100 key topics like anxiety, death, marriage, fear, children, money, suffering and so many more that are relevant to whatever stage of life we are in today. The user-friendly index quickly and easily helps you zero in on  what God has to say in response to some of life’s toughest questions that we all have had on our minds at one time or another.

So know that you are not alone when you ask Why, and know that what you are looking for can be found in God’s amazing truth that’s not far away. It’s here for you, right at your fingertips, in the new HelpFinder Bible, God’s Word at your point of need.

Take a look inside the HelpFinder Bible

We get so excited when we hear people are getting into God’s Word and wrestling with the text. Recently, we received a question on Facebook about blessing God. We thought others might be interested in the response, so we decided to create a blog post. Our Study Bible and Reference brand manager kindly agreed to share on this topic.

Question: “The only way I can see we can bless GOD is by obeying him. To say “bless you LORD” does not seem possible. . . . We can ask GOD to bless others or to bless us, but we are only man with no special powers to apply blessing to others. Your thoughts please!”

 

Answer from Kevin R. O’Brien, ThM, Study Bible and Reference Brand Manager:

First, thanks for reaching out with this question. Second, I completely understand why this is confusing for so many people. Many songs we sing include words like “I will bless the Lord” or “Bless the Lord, oh my soul.” It seems backwards because it is clearly God who blesses us, not the other way around, right? We see throughout Scripture that God blesses his people. God tells Abraham:

“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:3

We see it in the covenants of the Old Testament where God promises to care for his people:

“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. . . . You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land.

“I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land. . . .

“I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Leviticus 26:3-6, 9-12

We see it in the Psalms:

For you bless the godly, O Lord;

    you surround them with your shield of love. Psalm 5:12

The Lord remembers us and will bless us.

    He will bless the people of Israel

    and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

He will bless those who fear the Lord,

    both great and lowly. Psalm 115:12-13

And we of course see it in the Beatitudes of Jesus and the writings of Paul.

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,

    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses those who mourn,

    for they will be comforted.

God blesses those who are humble,

    for they will inherit the whole earth.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,

    for they will be satisfied.

God blesses those who are merciful,

    for they will be shown mercy.

God blesses those whose hearts are pure,

    for they will see God.

God blesses those who work for peace,

    for they will be called the children of God.

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,

    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3-10

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3

So how can we possibly bless God?

This is where the New Living Translation is so helpful. Just like in English, Hebrew words often have a range of meaning. When we read familiar passages like Psalm 100:4, Psalm 103:2, or Psalm 104:1, we can easily get confused. You are probably used to reading words like “bless his name!” or “Bless the Lord” in these verses. Here they are in the NLT (I have italicized the word that other translations often render “bless”):

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

    go into his courts with praise.

    Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Let all that I am praise the Lord;

    may I never forget the good things he does for me. Psalm 103:2

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

O Lord my God, how great you are!

You are robed with honor and majesty. Psalm 104:1

In Hebrew the word is the same—barak—but there is a subtle change in meaning. God gives a blessing to us; we offer praise to him. His giving is downward, from a greater to a lesser. Our offering is upward, from a lesser to a greater.

The Scriptures show us that God blesses us in many ways—through material things, through the rain and good harvests, and most importantly, by his presence with us. In Genesis 48, Jacob blesses the sons of Joseph.

Here is what the article on blessing in the NLT Study Bible has to say:

Genesis 48:8-20

Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons and blessed them (Gen 48:3-7), just as his father Isaac had blessed him (27:27-29). Blessing enables, enhances, and enriches life, whereas a curse diminishes it (Lev 26:14-39). Blessing is issued publicly by a benefactor and provides power for prosperity and success. Blessing is essential to covenant relationships in that it guides and motivates the parties to obey the covenant’s stipulations (Lev 26:3-13; Deut 28:1-14). Obedience leads to blessing, whereas rebellion brings a curse.

The initial realm of blessing is creation, in which God as Creator is the ultimate granter of blessing for animals (Gen 1:22) and humans (1:28; see Ps 104; 128:3-4). Humans also serve as channels of divine blessing. Abraham was called to be a blessing to the nations (Gen 12:2-3). The institutions of family (27:27-29), government (1 Kgs 8:14, 44, 52, 66), and religion (Gen 14:19; Lev 9:22) are nurtured, commissioned, and purified through blessing. Israel’s priests mediated God’s blessing to Israel (Num 6:24-26; Deut 10:8).

Three basic characteristics can be observed in OT blessings: (1) They are conveyed from a greater party to a lesser one (Gen 32:26; Heb 7:6-7); (2) They are signs of favor that result in well-being and productivity (Deut 28:3-7); and (3) They acknowledge that all power and blessing stem from the Creator. All blessings have their source in God’s love (Deut 7:7-8, 12-15).

God’s blessings in Genesis are in striking contrast with the pagan religions of antiquity. For pagan religions, fortunes and fertility of flock, family, and fields came about in sympathetic magic through cultic observances at their shrines—profane customs that were designed to induce the deities to act on their behalf so that the cycle of life could be maintained. In Genesis, all of life, fertility, and blessing came by God’s decree, for he is the only true and living God.

In the NT, the emphasis of blessing shifts from the material to the spiritual, from the nation to the church, and from the temporal to the eternal (Matt 6:25; Eph 1:3; 1 Pet 3:9). In his death, Jesus bore the consequences of sin’s curse (Gal 3:13), established God’s kingdom (Matt 3:2; 5:3-20; John 3:3-5), and blessed its citizens with forgiveness of sin (Rom 4:6-25). Now believers are called to bless the world (Luke 6:27-28; Rom 12:14; see also Isa 19:24; Zech 8:13).

As you can see, our questioner was correct—obedience does have everything to do with how we “bless” God. It is our tangible response of praise to the God who blesses us.