Lisa Worthey Smith, author, writing and speaking coach/consultant: What Does it Mean to Meditate on Scripture?

Why meditate on the Bible?

What does that even mean?

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,

but you shall meditate on it day and night,

so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;

for then you will make your way prosperous,

and then you will have success.

Joshua 1:8

The word "meditate" can bring up thoughts of Yoga, or serenely contemplating life by a beautiful sunset. In the Bible, we find the word "meditate" in this Old Testament passage recorded in the Hebrew is הָגָה hāḡâ pronounced as haw-gaw'. We commonly use the term "meditate" in English as the idea of thinking about something or using a chant to focus on our thoughts.

Using an online Strong's dictionary of Hebrew and Greek words; הָגָה hâgâh, haw-gaw'; we learn the word is used several times in the Old Testament with slightly expanded meanings. In the King James version it was translated as "meditate" six times, "mourn" four times, "speak" four times, "imagine" two times, "study" two times, "mutter" two times, "utter" two times, "roaring" one time, "sore" one time, and "talk" one time.

Here are some examples

of how the word hāḡâ (meditate)was used in the Bible.

mourn - Isaiah 38:14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

speak - Psa 35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

imagine - Psalm 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

study - Pro 15:28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

mutter - Job 27:4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.

utter - Psalm 71:24 My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;

For they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek my hurt.

roaring - Isaiah 31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me,

Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey,

when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them:

so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

sore - Isaiah 59:11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

talk - Psalm 71:24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

Below is the same word used in Psalm 1

Let's read through,

then investigate this passage to see what we can learn about meditating on Scripture.

Psalm 1:1-3

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

By reading the passage slowly, we can find several answers to the question of the importance of meditating on the Word of God in this passage.

Below is a deeper look with the Scripture above in black. My insights/ notes in blue.

Psalm 1:1-3 with notes

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, [note there is a a blessing for not listening to the advice of evil people and staying in the Word of God]

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! [note the contrast between two things.

1) listening to the wicked and standing in the same path as sinners,

2) and sitting in the seat of people who scoff at God's Word.]

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, [not duty, not boring, but delight, bringing joy to my life]

And in His law he meditates day and night. [In what? In commentaries? Listening to inspirational messages? No, though those have a place. But our focus, our continual meditation should be on God's law, the Bible. How often? Day and night. Meditating in God's law-the Bible-day and night.]

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, [The person who meditates on the Bible will be like a small tree that can grow because it's nourished. Small faith can grow when nourished by the Word]

Which yields its fruit in its season [Yielding fruit is a natural part of the growth and maturity of trees and believers.]

And its leaf does not wither; [When the roots are fed from the streams of water-the Word of God-the tree doesn't wither when the droughts come or when storms hit. The roots are firmly established and deep. We might be damaged by illness or accidents, but if our roots run deep, we'll not wither away from God.]

And in whatever he does, he prospers. [There is no need to worry. Deep roots and thoroughly watered the tree will fulfill its purpose and be fruitful.]