Blessed means "spiritually prosperous." "The poor in spirit" probably means "Those whose spirits are humble." Luke 6 and Psalm 51 give different parallel meanings; we lean toward Psalm 51. The kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom of God, and it is a gift. The blessings are not earned.
Side Points
Other blessings in the passage are "socially good." That is, it is obvious that being merciful should bring a blessing. This one doesn't show so much. Perhaps we can say that it encourages us to move away from pride. This passage (Matthew 5:3-12) is the New Testament version of the Ten Commandments, a description of how God's people live rather than a set of laws. (Even the commandments are written "you will" rather than "you must.")
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