Let’s face it, when you hear the word “meditate,” don’t you tend to gravitate to thinking of concepts defined by Eastern Religions like Buddhism and Hinduism? After all, Buddha is always shown meditating cross-legged, contemplative. The New Age religious craze “Transcendental Meditation” came from this body of thought. Eastern meditation’s goal was to use a mantra (a word or sound… “ooommm”), which the practitioner was to say repeatedly with the goal of reaching a mental state of emptiness or nothingness! The Hebrew / Biblical idea of meditation is, however, quite different and has as a goal, a state of somethingness – namely, to understanding something fully! And one of the Hebrew words for meditation, actually means to roll a concept around, or to repeatedly chew on a thought. This word picture purposefully borrowed the concept of a cow’s digestive system. They eat rough feed, chew it, put it in their first stomach, and after filling that stomach, bring it BACK UP and chew it again, and again, and again! Consider this very famous verse of Scripture, and view it in light of this definition.

Joshua 1:8 

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Meditation becomes the NATURAL RESULT of what we studied last week – i.e. memorization – except that with meditation, your mind and heart are beginning to chew through the concepts you’ve memorized and begin assimilating those thoughts into your life and thought processes. It is nearly impossible to meditate without first memorizing. It is certainly possible to memorize without subsequently meditating, but you’ll find that because the Holy Spirit lives inside, you will be SUPERNATURALLY drawn into biblical meditation because of the Spirit’s assimilation of The Word in your life. (cf. John 6:63, 16:13) 

Take the verses below, and note the different things the Psalmist meditated on, and also note when or where he did his meditation. 

Psalm 1:2 “But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

Psalm 48:9 “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.”

Psalm 77:12 “I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

Psalm 119:15 “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.”

Psalm 119:23 “Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.”

Psalm 119:27 “Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.”

Psalm 119:48 “I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.”

Psalm 119:78 “May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.”

Psalm 119:97 “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.”

Psalm 119:99 “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.”

Psalm 119:148 “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.”

Psalm 143:5 “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”

Psalm 145:5 “They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”