Read Psalm 77:1-15, Meditation (2)

 

The content of meditation: Old Testament.

(The inserted numbers in a few of these items identify which of the two OT terms we spoke of in the previous post is being used in the passage.)

1.    Negative:

·       Ps. 38:12: David’s enemies “plan” deceptions all day long.  In other words, his demise is their “meditation.”

·       Prov. 24:1-2: Men who are full of envy ought to be avoided because their hearts “devise” (meditate on) violence.

·       In both these passages we can see that “meditation” has to do with what we sometimes call “obsession.” 

2.    Positive:

·       Josh 1:8: book of the law.

·       Psalm 1:2: the law of the Lord.

·       Psalm 77:12: on all Your works.  In the beginning of this Psalm of Asaph, the writer was consumed with troublesome thoughts.  His “soul refused to be comforted” (v2).  His “spirit was overwhelmed.”  His “meditation” (v6, siah) involves a “diligent search.”  The question he researches is in v7-9: will God cast Israel off forever?  He is led to the Biblical record of God’s works in the past, wondrous works on behalf of Israel.  He commits to meditating (haga) on these works, making them his “obsession” rather than the troublesome thoughts.

·       Psalm 119:15,78: in Thy precepts.

·       Psalm 119:23,48: in Thy statutes.

·       Psalm 119:148: in Thy word.

·       Psalm 143:5:  Your works (1), what your hands have done (2).  Again, we see that David’s soul is persecuted and crushed by his enemy, his spirit is overwhelmed (v3-4).  Thus, he remembers the record of Scripture, what God did in the past.  These things become his meditation.  It is the same order as in Ps. 77 above.

·       Prov. 6:22: “wisdom” will talk with them.

3.    Other thoughts:

·       Psalm 19:14: may the meditations (1) of my heart be acceptable.

·       Psalm 104:34: my meditation (2) of Him shall be sweet.

·       Psalm 63:6: in the night watches (1).