Musing - Should we be Reading, or Meditating, or Chewing on God’s Word?

Hebraic Musing - Should we be Reading, or Meditating, or Chewing on God’s Word?

Let’s chew on this verse describing a “Blessed man” – “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”  Psalm 1:2

This is about what a “Blessed man” does.  His delight is in the “law of the LORD”, and in today’s world we think that means the entire Bible.  However, the Hebrew word is “Torah”, the first five books of our Bible.  Practically speaking, both are applicable.  On the other hand, the Torah is the foundation, and the rest of the Bible simply explains the Torah.

Why is the “Blessed man” delighted with the word of God?  What delights you?  What makes you happy?  What gets you excited?  This is a good way to see what is important to us.

·      If personal pleasure is what makes you happy, then you are a selfish, self-centered person.

·      If being with your family or friends delights you, that’s better, but it still falls short.

·      The righteous or truly blessed man finds his delight … in the law of the LORD.

If a person delights in something, you don't have to beg them to do it or to like it. They will do it all by themselves. You can measure your delight for the word of God by how much you hunger for it.

How often should we “meditate” on God’s word?  The good news – only twice a day!  The full answer – meditating both “day and night”!  That about covers it all!

We Christians are often told to read our Bible.  Why doesn’t the verse say “read” instead of “meditate”?  Might many Christians be lacking in understanding because they only read and do not meditate.  Insights from commentators:

·         The righteous man ponders the word of God. He does not just hear it and forget it, he thinks about it. Christians should meditate on God's word!

·         In eastern meditation, the goal is to empty the mind. This is dangerous, because an empty mind may present an open invitation to deception or a demonic spirit.  But in Christian meditation, the goal is to fill your mind with the word of God. This can be done by carefully thinking about each word and phrase, and applying it one's self and praying it back to the Lord.

·         Meditation chews the cud, and gets the sweetness and nutritive virtue of the Word into the heart and life: this is the way the godly bring forth much fruit. (Ashwood, cited by Spurgeon)

·         It is not only reading that does us good; but the soul inwardly feeding on it, and digesting it.  A preacher once told me that he had read the Bible through twenty times on his knees and had never found the doctrine of election there.  Very likely not.  It is a most uncomfortable position in which to read.  If he had sat in an easy chair he would have been better able to understand it. (Spurgeon)

Some Christians brag about how often they read the Bible, and they can quote verses galore.  But have they studied, meditated and chewed on God’s Word?

Points to ponder

Can you remember the last time you meditated on a verse?
(Did you notice how it stuck in your brain for quite a while?)

God wants to speak to us; are we giving God’s own Words the attention they deserve?

And the reward is in the next verse!
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
     and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  Psalm 1:3

Have a blessed day

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          May 14, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   “insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com”

Note - Inspired by and excerpted from Blue Letter Bible commentary by David Guzik