Biblical Meditation - a Forgotten Art
In
this hectic world of today, people are truly running to and fro, as the
Bible says, and knowledge is increasing at a rapid pace (Dan. 12:4). Seldom
do we find the time to sit back, relax, and think about life, about ourselves,
and about what really matters. After all, there is more to life than what we
see. We are called pilgrims in the Bible, and as such, we should focus, first
and foremost, on the destiny of our pilgrimage.
When you decide to embark on a journey, you first consider carefully what you
need in order to reach your destination. If your company transfers you to another
state or country, you gather as much information as possible about your new
home and you contemplate what needs to be accomplished before your departure.
Even though you may be distracted at times with seemingly more important matters,
you will still have your journey firmly in mind.
The same is true - even more so - with our journey through life. Where did we
come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? What do we need to do
in order to reach our final destination? When we ask ourselves these and other
questions, we are engaged in the biblical art of meditation without
perhaps even realizing it. You see, meditation means to think about, to consider,
to evaluate, with the goal of getting answers to important questions. Biblical
meditation then is directed towards God (cf. Psalm 7:1), His Way, what
He has created and why. And only God can give us the answers to life's
most perplexing questions. Let's take a closer look then at what God has to
say about the importance of biblical meditation, what should be the focus of
our meditation and what results we can expect when we take the time to engage
in proper biblical meditation.
Proper Biblical Meditation
Biblical meditation is meaningful. It is not senseless repetitions of
mystical phrases. It is a conscious effort to better understand the character
of our Creator and the purpose of human life. David meditated on God and His
Word and His Creation. He shared many of his thoughts with us in the Book of
Psalms. For example, we read in Psalm 8:3: “When I consider [think
about, meditate on] Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the
stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and
the son of man that You visit [care for] him?”
David meditated on the purpose of human life, while also considering the beauty
and magnificence of the universe which, as he knew, had been brought into existence
by the great Creator God. David understood that if God could design and form
billions of galaxies and nebulae with innumerable stars and suns, and, at the
same time care for us as individuals, then the creation of man had to
have a purpose beyond mere physical temporary existence.
David also understood that meditation can be used in a wrong way. If
meditation is focused on self or is nothing more than meaningless repetitions,
then it is not acceptable to God. That is why David says in Psalm 104:34: “May
my meditation be sweet to Him.” He asks God, in Psalm 5:1,
to consider or accept his meditation. He pleads with God, in Psalm
64:1, to hear his voice in his meditation, and he prays in Psalm19:14:
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable
in Your sight, O Lord.”
How can we be certain that our heart and our meditation is acceptable to God?
Let's notice something about the heart of man in Proverbs 23:7: “As he
thinks in his heart, so is he.” So if our heart is evil and filled
with human desires that are contrary to God's will, then the meditation of our
heart will not be pleasing to God.
We need to have a good and righteous heart. David tells us in Psalm 37:30-31,
that “the mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of
justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall
slide.” Now, the law of God does not automatically fill the heart of a
person. So how can we become righteous and wise? God's Holy Spirit must dwell
in us in order to fill us with Godly wisdom. But even then, we must cooperate
and let God's Word find room in our hearts. We must recognize God's Word,
and we must reject ungodly ideas, principles and concepts. And here is where
biblical meditation comes in.
A person who is guided by God's Holy Spirit will meditate on God and His Word.
He will try to understand God's way of life and how to better apply it each
day. David tells us that he diligently meditated on God's Word so that he could
better comprehend the deep, and sometimes hidden, meaning associated with the
scriptures. Many people read through the Bible without ever grasping the spiritual
food contained therein. Part of the reason is that they don't take the time
to meditate about what they read.
David's attitude, though, was quite different. He saw to it that his heart would
be filled with God's Word. He tells us: “Your word I have hidden
in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11). And:
“I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, to the
very end.” (Psalm 119:112). But in order to do so, he needed to deeply
think about - meditate on - the spiritual meaning of God's Word. He says in
verse 15: “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate
Your ways.”
Think (Meditate) Before You Act
David analyzed human conduct on the basis of God's Word. He wanted to
understand how a particular human reaction would square with God's divine instruction.
He knew, for example, that a hot temper can lead to foolish conduct. So he cautions
us to think first, before we act, consider our ways based on God's
law. Notice David's admonition in Psalm 4:4: “Be angry [or agitated], and
do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.
Selah.”
Sometimes, we might burn with righteous indignation over the evil and wicked
conduct of others. Still, though, we must be in control of our anger, lest we
be tempted to react sinfully ourselves. So, David cautions us to meditate about
the situation on our bed, when we have the time and the quiet surroundings to
do so. Rather than raging foolishly, we are admonished to be still, considering
that God is the Judge of us all and that He will revenge. And he places the
word “Selah” behind this statement, meaning “give this some thought,
think about it, consider it.” In effect, David tells us to think
about the fact that we are to think first before we act or react.
Continuing with Psalm 119:23-24: “Princes also sit and speak against me,
but Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are
my delight and my counselors.” In the face of defamation, David meditated
on God's Statutes. He wanted to understand what God had to say about
how to behave in such a situation. And more often than not, the answer is simply,
to leave it in God's hands. Notice David's evaluation in Psalm 9:16:
“The Lord is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in
the work of his own hands.” And how did David know that? The very next
words tell us: “Meditation. Selah.” David meditated
about these perplexing questions, and he is encouraging us to take the time
to do the same, considering what God had let him find out.
When he found himself in a difficult situation, he turned to God's Law. Notice
Psalm 119:78: “Let the proud be ashamed, for they treated me wrongfully
with falsehood; but I will meditate on Your precepts.” He left it
to God, all the while thinking about God's directions in this situation. And
he knew that the time would come when God would intervene. And then
people would consider the terror of God (Isaiah 33:18), when His judgments
would go out over all the earth. But that would be God's doing, in His time.
David understood, too, that God would be with the merciful, the humble, the
blameless and the pure, while “dealing with” the devious and proud
(cf. Psalm 18:25-27). We, too, must meditate on and comprehend this reality.
The Bible is filled with admonitions to replace the thoughts of pride
with humility (cf. Matt. 3:9; Rom. 12:3; 1 Cor. 8:2; 10:12; 14:37; Gal. 6:3).
We must consider or meditate about our approach when we correct
another person, lest we become proud and self-righteous in our own eyes (Gal.
6:1).
David meditated on the statutes and precepts of God and how to apply them in
difficult situations, and he encourages us to do likewise - to think deeply
about them and to correctly apply them. David's wisdom came from God granting
his desire to deeply understand the spiritual meaning of God's Law, His Commandments
and Testimonies. David prayed in Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may
see wondrous things from Your law.”
When to Meditate
When is the best time to meditate? The Bible gives many instances of meditation
in the night. For example, in Gen. 24:63 we read that Isaac, while undoubtedly
waiting for the return of his father's servant who had been sent out to find
a bride for him, “went out to meditate in the field in the evening.”
Others followed Isaac's example to choose a time at the end of the day, when
the daily chores and activities have settled down, and the stress of the day
had somewhat ceased, to reflect on important matters.
In many of David's psalms, we are introduced to his habit of meditating in the
night. While he was still a shepherd out in the field and taking care of his
flock, he had ample opportunity to deeply think about God's Word. Notice Psalm
63:6: “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night
watches.” Notice, too, Psalm 119:148: “My eyes are awake through the
night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.”
In addition, David admonishes us to meditate during the day. We read
in Psalm 119:97-99: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation
all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
for they [God's commandments] are ever with me. I have more understanding than
all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.”
Although the most productive time of meditation for David was probably in the
quiet moments of early morning, late evening or at night, David was diligent
to consider God's laws throughout the day whenever he needed guidance
and direction. His attitude was so much different from that of many people today
who don't believe the Bible or who misunderstand it. David did not doubt that
God's Word stands (cf. Psalm 119:152) and He was convinced of the necessity
to keep it. He exclaimed, “Your word is very pure. Therefore Your servant
loves it.” (Psalm 119:140). In fact, he emphasized in Psalm 12:6: “The
words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times.” He regarded God's law as perfect and that they had
to be kept. He fully realized that a person is blessed by God whose delight
is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on God's Law day and
night. (Psalm 1:1-2).
Meditation is Commanded
In the Psalm we just read, David echoes a commandment given directly
by God to Joshua. We read in Joshua 1:8: “This Book of the Law shall not
depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night,
that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.”
Yes, meditation is more than just a valuable tool for our Christian life. Just
as God commands us to keep His Law, He also commands us to
meditate on His Law. As a Christian, we must obey this command and meditate
on, that is, think about, God's Word all the time. Why? So that we can
keep it and so that we can better understand how to keep it. And what
will be the result? The last part of Joshua 1:8 reads: “For then you will
make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Some have foolishly rejected the fact that keeping God's Word actually brings
prosperity and success, even on a physical level. But here is a promise
that it will. Those who don't agree should perhaps begin to meditate
on the deep meaning of the words of God to His servant Joshua. The opposite
is true as well. When things go wrong continually in our lives, then
we must stand still and meditate, contemplate, think about why this is
happening, looking for answers. And if we seek answers from God, God
will grant them to us (cf. Haggai 1:5-7).
Other servants of God understood, too, that Biblical or Godly meditation is
absolutely necessary for a clear comprehension of God's Word, His Promises,
and our ultimate destiny. The sons of Korah, who survived the destruction of
their father because they had no part in his rebellion against God, tell us
in Psalm 49:3: “My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my
heart shall give understanding.”
Our meditation must not be selfish and introverted, but rather it must be directed
toward God and His Will. Notice what Asaph says in Psalm 77:6: “I call
to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and
my spirit makes diligent search.”
What did his spirit search for? It searched to comprehend what God had accomplished
in the past, and what He will accomplish in the future. Read verses 11-12: “I
will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of
old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.”
David expresses the same thought in Psalm 143:5: “I remember the days of
old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse [or ponder] on the works of
Your hands.” God's servants meditate on God and His Works; that is, how
God deals with people and situations. And in doing so, they learn from Him
how to become more like Him. We are encouraged throughout the Bible to
consider, to meditate on, to think deeply about, the works of God to give us
great comfort in times of need and despair.
When studying the prophecies of the Bible, we can meditate on what God will
do in the near future. We can understand now what others will realize
later. Note Isaiah 41:17-20: “The poor and needy seek water, but there
is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the
God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool
of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness
the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the
desert the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together, that they
may see and know and consider and understand together, [biblical meditation
leads to Godly understanding] that the hand of the Lord has done this, and
the Holy One of Israel has created it.”
Meditating on the works of God in the past, at the present and in the future
can give us encouragement and hope in trials. Even after the people had sinned
by demanding a king, Samuel told them: “I will teach you the good and the
right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for
consider what great things He has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:23-24).
Meditate on Developing the Character of God
The more we meditate on God's word and how it applies to us in our daily
living, the more we will understand that we must turn away from sin. David went
through the same process of conversion, as we read in Psalm 119:59: “I
thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies.”
When David analyzed his ways on the basis of God's Word, he did not like what
he saw. So he turned, he repented, he ceased going the wrong way
and began to go the right way - the way of God's Laws, His Testimonies.
This is not only true for David. Any person who does wrong, but who considers
his way and changes, will live with God (Ezekiel 18:27-28). Once we begin to
move away from wickedness and towards righteousness, we will consider more and
more what kind of character we must develop to be able to finally dwell with
God and stand before Him. David, under God's inspiration, shared the results
of his meditations on righteous character in two psalms in particular - Psalms
15 and 24.
Psalm 15 is introduced in the New King James Bible with, “The Character
of Those Who May Dwell with the Lord.” Let's read, beginning in verse 1:
“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his
heart. He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor,
nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person
is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord; he who swears to his own
hurt and does not change; he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does
he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be
moved.”
David continues his contemplation in Psalm 24:3-6: “Who may ascend into
the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands
and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully,
he shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his
salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your
face. Selah.”
Selah - think about that one! Consider it. Meditate on it. Does this
describe you? Are you seeking God's face? Do you have clean hands and a pure
heart? Or do you have an idol in your life that has become more important than
God? Have you made promises that you had no intention of keeping, or that were
made casually, or that you felt you could ignore later by just changing your
mind? If so, God will not bless you with His Righteousness, since you show through
your conduct that you don't really want God's Righteousness in your life. God
will only give it to you, when you repent and get rid of whatever separates
you from Him.
In the New Testament Paul admonished Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:15 to “meditate
on these things, give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may
be evident to all.” But what were these things on which Timothy
was to meditate? The previous verses tell us: “Be an example to the believers
in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity…, give attention
to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (vv. 12-13). He was also admonished
to “not neglect the gift that is in you” (v.14), referring to God's
Holy Spirit dwelling within him. In following Paul's admonition, Timothy's positive
character development would become more and more evident to other brethren.
They, in turn, would consider, or meditate on, Timothy's positive example, and
try to imitate him. And to do so would be right and proper. Paul admonishes
all of us in Heb. 13:7 to “remember those who rule over [or lead] you,
who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering
[or meditating on] the outcome of their conduct.”
The focus of our meditation, of course, must not be on those people per se,
as if we are to follow them for their sakes - it must be on Jesus Christ,
because Paul goes right on to say, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today and forever.” (v. 8). It is Christ, living in them, who enables them
to live a righteous life. And, as they follow Christ, so we are to follow them.
And so it is that we are to meditate first and foremost on Christ. Time
and time again we are told that we must do so.
Notice Heb. 3:1-2: “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus
Christ, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him.” Heb. 7:4: “Now
consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave
a tenth of the spoils.” Heb. 12:3: “For consider Him who endured
such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged
in your souls.”
Meditation must be focused on the greatness of God and His Way of Life.
The perplexing questions of life can be answered from God if we meditate on
them with God in mind. Psalm 73 gives us such an example. The author, Asaph,
had become envious of the wicked, as they seemed to live in splendor and prosperity
without having to pay for their rotten conduct (vv. 1-12).
Asaph began to compare the wicked with the righteous and to reason from a carnal
point of view, “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands
in innocence, for all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning.”
(vv. 13-14). But once he turned to God for answers, his entire outlook on life
changed (vv. 15-17). Once God guided him with His counsel (v. 24), he understood
how foolish his human thoughts had been. After meditating in the right way by
consulting with God in His sanctuary (v. 17), he realized that God would
bring the wicked suddenly and quickly to ruin and destruction (vv. 18-20).
Biblical meditation, as focused on God, and prayer to God go hand in hand. Human
meditation of and by itself, separate from God, is useless, and can even be
counterproductive. In fact, if meditation is focused on the self or on anything
else but God and His Word, whether in a positive or a negative way, then meditation
becomes an idol, and it is carnal and even demonic. Some today repeat foreign
or mystical words, called mantras, for long periods of time during their meditation
exercises. They don't understand the meaning of these mantras, but they do it
because they have been told that these words have some kind of magical effects
to clear their consciousness from stress.
Scientific research has, in fact, revealed that something physical does
occur within the body during the course of this kind of meditation. But what
is not commonly understood is the origin of these words or mantras. They are
derived from Indian mythology and religion, designating the names of
Indian gods. Most Indian gods, according to Indian mythology and doctrine, are
both good and evil. So, without realizing it, people are calling for the appearance
of one of those “Indian gods,” by repeating his name over and over
again. Why are we surprised, then, that their calls may be answered? People
engaging in this kind of meditation may find themselves in strange situations.
Some have literally killed themselves, thinking that they were witches of the
Middle Ages, or that they felt that invisible evil forces were pursuing them.
Further, the current leader of one of these meditation methods, an Indian guru,
claims that he can fly, walk on water, go through closed doors, etc., and he
is reportedly in the process of teaching the inner circle of his disciples to
do the same through this kind of meditation.
But this is not the kind of meditation we should engage in, nor should
it serve as an example as to how to conduct our meditation. True Biblical meditation
is meaningful and it is focused on God and His Principles of living. It is accompanied
with prayer to God, not to anything or anyone else. As you read Psalm 42, notice
in the beginning verses how meditation and prayer go together.
Notice also in verse 9 that when David says: “I will say to God my Rock,”
he has meditated first on what to pray about. In fact, since we are told that
we should not make vain repetitions, it is always good to consider, to think
first, before we speak, including when we speak to God. We are told to be
swift to hear, but slow to speak, especially when we are angry (James 1:19).
Meditate to Learn the Lessons of Life
There is so much to meditate about and so many lessons we can learn if we take
the time to properly meditate. For example, from God's creation, we can consider,
or meditate on, the ways of the ant, to receive wisdom (Prov. 6:6). After all,
it was God who created the ant - so He knew what He did when He created it.
Consider, or meditate on, the lilies of the field, or the ravens in the sky
and think about Christ's Words that God the Father clothes and feeds
them, so that we don't need to worry about physical things, as long as our priorities
are right (Matt. 6:25-30).
We can also learn from the conduct and lives of other people and how sin produces
bad results, and that there is punishment for sin. Hosea 7:2 tells us
that “they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their
wickedness.” And Prov. 21:12 adds that “the righteous God wisely
considers the house of the wicked, overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.”
We must not be like the wicked, being indifferent towards wrong conduct - we
must consider wickedness as for what it is, and meditate on it.
We can and should meditate on how righteousness has its rewards. How God is
True and Faithful, even in times of trials and turmoil. We should meditate on
positive things, rather than dwelling on the negative. As we are told by Paul
in Phil. 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things
are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things
are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if
there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on those things.”
We are also told to “consider one another in order to stir
up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as
you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:24-25). We want others to make it
into the Kingdom as well, and we must consider, or meditate on, what we
can do to help them. (cf. Jude 22-23).
Let's make the right kind of biblical meditation a habit in our Christian lives.
And when we do, God will reward us with knowledge and understanding that will
make us wiser than all of our enemies and will, indeed, “make our way prosperous
and we will have good success” (Josh 1:8), the ultimate goal, of course,
being entrance into the Kingdom of God. -- Norbert Link