Deuteronomy 33:11
“Yahweh, bless his skills. Accept the work of his hands. Strike through the hips of those who rise up against him, of those who hate him, that they not rise again.””
What does Deuteronomy 33:11 mean?
Moses is blessing the tribe of Levi here, asking God to make their priestly work fruitful and their hands skilled in serving the community. The second part uses the vivid language of ancient warfare to ask God to decisively defeat their enemies so they can't threaten the people again. What's tender about this blessing is that it holds two things together: it asks for God's favor on their everyday work and calling, and it trusts God to protect them from those who would destroy them. For anyone serving others, whether in ministry, caregiving, or any difficult calling, this speaks to needing both the grace to do the work well and the confidence that God stands against those who oppose what's good. The prayer assumes that God cares about both our competence and our safety.