The Bible On Meditation

"I remember the days of old; 

I meditate on all thy works; 

I muse on the work of thy hands." (Psa. 143: 5)

Christian meditation, what can we say of it? Is it anything like meditation in other religions? Is it a duty? Is it enjoyable? Is it like "transcendental meditation"? Is it in any way "mystical"? 

Not all meditation is religious. Mathematical theorists are often in deep thought. So too are philosophers, physicists, physicians, many other thinkers and scientists. 

Christian meditation involves thinking upon the word of God. In doing this we are thinking upon God himself. We are thinking about his person and his works. It involves what we may call "the life of the mind." 

Religiously Mystical?

"Mystical," says Merriam Webster: "involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality."

Some eastern religions practice a kind of meditation where thought is excluded, where one tries not to think about anything, tries to free the mind and spirit of conscious thought (somehow, where the spirit transcends time and thought). Such meditation the scriptures know nothing about. 

However, there is indeed something mystical or spiritual about meditating as the scriptures describe, for in times of meditation the soul, mind, and spirit enjoys communion with God. In some sense the soul in communion with God, in his thoughts, does "transcend," or become enraptured, and many Christian hymns speak of this heavenly experience. It is where the soul becomes "lost in wonder." It is a kind of "ecstasy." The word "ecstasy" comes from the Greek "ekstasis" which literally means "standing outside oneself." It is in this respect that it is similar in meaning to words like "amazement," "wonderment," "awestruck," etc. In all these mental states the soul does in some ways "transcend," or "stand outside of itself," though not in the same way as those who practice the eastern or Hindu "transcendental meditation." 

Mostly Cognitive

Notice the three words used together in the above Psalm: remember, meditate, muse. Those are cognitive words. Meditation involves thinking. Musing involves deep or studious thinking. 

It is cognitive, involving thought. The purpose of it is to increase knowledge and understanding and experience God's presence. 

Musement or Amusement?

It is a sad thing that the mass of people spend far more time in amusement rather than in musement. I am not condemning amusement or recreation. All need a degree of this. Families need it. But, it is most often inordinate or excessive. But we all need to muse and meditate also! There are so many things we need to think a lot about! Right? We need to be good thinkers. Let us then be found often musing rather than being amused. It is in this way that we are "making the most of the limited time we have." (Eph. 5: 16) It is in meditation and musing upon God and his word that we commune with God and delight in him.

Commune With & Delight In

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psa. 1: 2)

Notice how in this text "delight" is connected with "meditate." It is unrelated to the physical, being mental, emotional, spiritual, and psychological.

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psa. 37: 4)

Obviously the "delight" that one has "in the LORD" is connected with delighting mentally in his word. It is what goes on "in heart" or "in soul." Rejoicing and being happy is mental, and though it effects the body, is not what the body experiences. Paul referred to this when he wrote "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." (Gal. 6: 4) "In himself" refers not to something physical in his body, but something in his soul, mind, or spirit. A professing Christian who is not spending time meditating upon God and his word is not delighting in the Lord.

In the new testament the Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy: "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." (I Tim. 4: 15) The words "meditate upon" are from the Greek "melatao," and it denotes a "meditative pondering." It means "to take care of, i.e. (by implication) revolve in the mind."

Notice these words from the Psalms:

"Stand in awe, and sin not: commune (speak) with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." (Psa. 4: 4)

"I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search." (Psa. 77: 6)

Here the Hebrew word for "commune" denotes "to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder." Notice again the connection between meditative communing and the inner man, or the "heart" and "spirit." It is in the heart and spirit, in the mind, that God is enjoyed. A professing Christian who does not commune with God, does not think upon God and his word, shows that he does not enjoy God so much. It seems that those who have truly enjoyed communion with God find it addictive.

Another Psalm to consider on this subject is this:

“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet.” (Psa. 104: 34)

Here is the "life of the mind" that we should all covet! Sadly, most would rather think upon carnal things and they are the worse for it. So testified the Psalmist: "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts." (Psa. 10: 4) Sadly, with most today, God is only an occasional thought. People do not want to think upon God. The words of the Psalmist clearly imply that if we are righteous, and not wicked, then we will have God "in all our thoughts." We will think upon him constantly. How do we occupy our minds? The answer would reveal much about us, right? 

Enjoying School

Most people do not realize that our word "school" is from the Latin schola and means "intermission of work" and "leisure for learning"! The Latin is from the Greek word skhole and it denotes "spare time, leisure, rest, ease, idleness"! I used to tell that to students when I spent a couple years as a substitute teacher and they could not believe it. School is intermission from work? Students see school as work! School is leisure? Students see schooling as anything but leisure!    

Throughout history the only ones who enjoyed school or leisure were the rich. They did not have to work and therefore had the freedom to choose how they spent their time. Yes, they spent it in physical pleasures, but they also spent it in learning, in reading, in studying things. 

So many today are blessed with the financial means to have more leisure time than any previous time in history. So sad that few take their "spare time" to think upon God and his word. 

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phil. 4: 8 kjv)