Biblical Meditation Part 1

Meditation is everywhere right now—apps, playlists, breathing techniques, and guided practices promise peace, clarity, and rest. Yet many Christians are wary of meditative practices. Is meditation biblical, or is it something we should avoid? Scripture not only answers that question, it describes meditation that is God-centered. Rather than emptying the mind, biblical meditation fills it—with truth, with worship, and with hope.

How do we meditate in a way that is honoring and pleasing to God? As with all other aspects of faithful living, we need to look to God’s word to guide the way. The Bible shows us why we should meditate, what we should meditate on, when to meditate, and how to meditate. 

What do we meditate on? 

Multiple times in Psalm 119, we learn that we should meditate on God’s word. Psalm 77:12 and Psalm 143:5 tell us to meditate on his works and all he has done. We are also to meditate on God and his character, as we see in Psalm 145:5: “On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate”. In the New Testament, Paul gives us list of things we can think on — whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Each of these attributes can be used to describe God’s word, his works, and his character. As we are thinking about these things, we are doing faithful meditation. The next time you see a beautiful sunset, you can use that to remind you of who God is. When you read a verse that praises God, pause and reread, and take a moment to worship him. 

Why do we meditate?

Psalm 1:1-2 tells us the one who delights in the law of Yahweh is the one who meditates on it. We should meditate because it is our joy to do so. Psalm 119:97-99 reminds us that meditating on God’s testimonies makes us wise and gives us understanding. This isn’t mere intellectual knowledge, rather wisdom is knowledge applied to godly living. When Joshua had stepped in as Israel’s new leader before they entered the Promised Land, Moses reminded him to meditate on the law so that he would be careful to obey it (Joshua 1:8). Reading the Bible should be more than just another item to complete on our to-do list. Taking the time to pause, ponder, and consider what we read should be a joy and a delight.

When do we meditate? 

Joshua was commanded to meditate on the law day and night (Joshua 1:8). The psalmist says he meditates all the day (Psalm 119:97) and in the watches of the night (Psalm 63:6).  In Psalm 77 we see that Asaph meditates when he is weak, weary, and confused. Psalm 119:23, 78 shows the psalmist meditating even when others are against him. So whether it is day or night — literally or figuratively — we can and should meditate. This does not mean that we are expected to become hermits in the desert who only read the Bible and meditate. But it does remind us that meditating can happen at all times. So when you are awake at night, feeding the baby for the third time — meditate on the Word. When you are folding another load of laundry after caring for a sick family member, think about his Word. On the commute to work — use the time to meditate!

How do we meditate?
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The verses that we have already considered in Joshua, the Psalms, and Philippians help us form some guidelines for what meditation looks like. Meditation is in the “heart”—the inner person where our thoughts, desires, and beliefs form. It is not just an exercise of the mind, it also engages the emotions (delight, joy, crying out, struggling). Biblical meditation gives words to our emotions and the Word can move our hearts. As we repeat a verse, we can focus on different words in the verse. We can use a verse as a prayer to God and consider how to apply it to daily living. 

So we have broken biblical meditation down into why, what, when, and how by looking at what God’s word has to say. But what does that look (or sound) like when we are actually meditating? There isn’t a five-step formula or cute acronym to follow for faithful meditation. Each time is going to be different, depending on our circumstances, time constraints, and frame of mind. I will give a couple of examples of what meditation has looked like for me. 

A few months ago I was sick with a mysterious virus. So when I was lying on the couch — praying for the symptoms to go away — I would think of Bible verses to anchor myself in God’s word. One time, I meditated and prayed through Philippians 4:8. This is (roughly) how it went:

Think about what is true…I am thankful that my husband can take time off work to be here with me. God’s word is true, and his mercies are new every day. What is just…it doesn’t seem just or fair that I would get sick. But I know that sickness isn’t the way things are supposed to be. And there will be no sickness in the new heavens and earth. What is lovely…the sun and sky outside are pretty, and I am thankful that God created beautiful things for us to enjoy. God promises that his peace will guard my mind. Even when my thoughts are fuzzy because of a headache, his peace guards me—a peace given through the reconciliation Christ accomplished for me on the cross.

It wasn’t perfect. My thoughts were jumbled at times. I was still sick, but God’s word had kept me from sinking into despair over the physical symptoms I was experiencing.

By way of another example, recently I had been reflecting on Galatians 2 after a sermon our pastor preached. As he was talking about Galatians 2:16, I had only thought of “works of the law” as referring specifically the Mosaic laws in Exodus and Leviticus. I never had gotten caught up in trying to follow all those laws to try to earn my salvation, so I figured that this wasn’t a “problem” for me. But over the next few days, that verse kept coming back to my mind.  I began to realize that I had created another set of “laws” in my own mind that I had been trying to follow. I was cut to the heart by this discovery. Later that week, I sat down and slowly read through Galatians 2, using the words for prayer and meditation. I paused at each verse, often stopping to mourn how I had trusted my own efforts, rather than Christ’s work on the cross. Confession and repentance followed and I asked God to show me how to live out the truth of justification by faith — rather than making rules and expectations for myself that I thought would earn his acceptance.

These two examples are not meant to be a step-by-step how-to method. They show that meditation can take different forms and be spurred on by different circumstances. When we are focusing on God’s word, his works, his character, and his promises they become the catalyst for spiritual growth and reliance on God.
Biblical meditation is not about physical postures, techniques, altered states, or detachment from reality. It is about engaging God’s Word with our whole selves—mind, heart, and will. It is time spent pondering who God is, what he has done, and how he wants us to live. Faithful meditation fuels faithful living!