Meditation

We finished our time together yesterday with some thoughts on meditation, so let's pick up where we left off.  When the psalmist says he meditates on God's law all the day, what does he mean?  Although meditation is something often viewed as something connected with some mystical eastern religion, I think we will discover as we examine the Scripture that it is much more than that.  Meditation is a concept that appears throughout the Bible.  Just looking at Psalm 119, we have already encountered this concept several times.  Can you locate those references?

So, what exactly is "meditation"?  If you have ever found yourself lying awake at night turning a problem over and over in your mind (can we all just go ahead and confess???), then you have experienced meditation in its negative connotation.  But is that what the psalmist is referring to?  I don't think so!  Can you find any references that indicate the psalmist is meditating on his problems?  When he mentions meditating, what does he say he is meditating on?  What is his meditation?  (Hint:  read verse 97 again!).

The Word Study Dictionary:  Old Testament gives us these definitions.  The word meditate (verb) is the Hebrew word siyah which is defined as to ponder, to utter, to complain, to meditate, to pray.  The word meditation (noun) is the Hebrew word siyhah meaning meditation, reflection, concern of one's thoughts, musing.  This dictionary goes on to give this information:  "The psalmist indicated the proper procedure for an individual's response to God's Law.  Because of his love for God's Law, the psalmist was prompted to meditate on it all day long."  Note again that he did not meditate "all day" on his problems, although he has already told us that he does have some significant issues he's dealing with.  He meditates on God's Word!!!

Think about that for a minute, and compare the psalmist's behavior to your own.  Are we all feeling maybe just a little nudge of conviction here?  Let's take the thought one step further........who does the psalmist say is his teacher?  And if that is true for the psalmist, is it not also true for us as well?  (If you're stuck here, read the stanza again, slowly, and if you're still stuck, read verse 102.) 

Here's one more question to ponder......did you notice a contrast between the way the stanza opened and the way it concluded.  The psalmist began with "How I love Your law," and ended with "therefore I hate every false way."  What about you?  Are there any false ways you recognize in our culture?  In your own life?  How might we know what is a true and what is a false way? 

Finally today, think about your own relationship to God's Word?  Is the Word "sweeter than honey"  (sweeter than chocolate??) to you?  Is it sweeter than it used to be?  Is it your delight?  Is it your meditation all the day long?  When troubles come, do you meditate on the troubles or meditate on God's Word?  And consider this....do you "hate every false way" as the psalmist does?  Not some false ways, but every false way.  Do you hate the false way, or do you just accept it as "that's the way it is"?  Spend some time thinking on these things today.  Maybe you would like to spend some time pondering (meditating on!) these words from Joshua:

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be carefull to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success."  (Joshua 1:8)