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To bless, or be given a blessing: The Greek is eulogeo. As a past particle, it expressing a completed action. Its to speak well of, to commend. In the N.T. to bless, transitive verb, one expressing an action that passes from the agent to the object. 

Of men towards God, to bless, as in to praise, to celebrate, with praise and thanksgivings;

Ps.103:1, "Bless the LORD , O my soul: and all that is with me, bless his holy name.

Luke 1:64, "He spake, and praised God."

James 3:9, "Therewith bless we God."

Christian's are not to think that God who is over all, and in himself blessed, capable of receiving any increase of happiness from creatures He has created. When we bless our Lord and Saviour, we only ascribe to Him the praise, honor, and glory that is due Him.

When God is said to bless His people, as in to distinguish them with favor, to prosper, to make them happy,

Gen.1:22, "An God blessed them (Adam and Eve,) saying, be fruitful, and multiply."

Eph.1:3, "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings."

Acts 3:26, "God having raised up His Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities."

Matt. 21:9, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the LORD." Luke 1:28, "Blessed art thou among women," as in blessed above all women, with ver.42.

Of men towards other men and things. To bless, expressing a completed action with praise and thanksgiving to invoke God's blessing upon, etc. From the time God had entered into a convenient with Abraham, and promised extraordinary blessings to his posterity. It appears to have been customary for the father of each family, in the direct line, or line of promise, previous to their death, to call his children around him, and to inform them, according to the knowledge which pleased God, and to give him, how, and in what manner, the blessing conferred upon Abraham was to come upon them.

Jacob blessed his sons, Gen.49, and Moses, the children of Israel,

Deut.33:1, "And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death."

When Melchisedek blessed Abraham. When Moses instructed Aaron and his descendants, to bless the congregation,

Num.6:24 - 26, "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee; the LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."

Speaking of persons expressed, or implied, as to pray for anothers welfare.

Matt.5:44, "Bless them that curse you."

Mark 10:16, "He (Jesus) put his hands upon them (the children,) and blessed them."

Rom.12:14, "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not."

1 Cor.4:12, "Labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it." 

The blessing of thing expressed, or implies in the N.T. only of food, a meal, etc. To bless, as in to ask God's blessing upon it.

Matt.14:19, He "Took the five loaves, and two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples."

In the Mosaic law, the manner of blessing is appointed by the lifting up of hands. Jesus lifted up his hands, and blessed his disciples. The palm of the hand held up was beseeching, meaning to ask; and the palm turned outwards, or downwards was benedictory, meaning to give praise to God, or a blessing to others.

Phil LaSpino