06.10.25 >> Psalms 18-21, The Meditation of My Heart

A day or two ago we briefly talked about meditating on the Word. The righteous man in Psalm one meditates on God's Word day and night. Joshua was commanded, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night." So what's the big deal with meditating on the scriptures? Isn't it enough that we read the Bible and study it? No, actually, it's not enough.

There are five ways that we can experience the Bible. Here they are in increasing amount of importance: hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating. While they are all important, meditating stands out among the rest. The difference is that the first four only engage the head. If we want to experience a heart change from one of these then we have to actively engage our hearts as we hear, read, study, and memorize. It's so easy for us to let it go in one ear and out the other. We have to put forth the extra effort and bring our heart into the mix during that crucial time when it's between our ears.

Meditation on the other hand is an action of the heart. To meditate on God's Word is to hold it in your heart and your head and to dwell on it; to become so enamored by the very Word of God that it transforms our hearts. And how can we meditate on it if we haven't memorized it? And how can we memorize it if we haven't studied it and found a reason to memorize? And how can we study it if we don't read it? And how can we find motivation to read it if we haven't heard it?

Psalm 19 tells us that God's Word is:

- Perfect
- Trustworthy
- Makes the simple wise
- Right
- Gives joy to the heart
- Radiant
- Gives light to the eyes
- Righteous
- More precious than pure gold
- Sweeter than honey from the comb

Why wouldn't we meditate on His Word?

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the
meditations of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my
Redeemer.

-Zac