It is the word used in Psalm 119:97: “Oh how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” Concerning this word, pastor David Saxton writes, “ Siyach then means to lovingly rehearse or go over in one’s mind but in contrast to hâgâh, siyach can be either spoken out loud or said silently in one’s heart.” 2 It means ‘to whisper or murmur’-a use that may point to the fact that reading was usually done aloud in biblical times.” 1Īnother Hebrew word for meditation in the Old Testament is siyach. The word is also used in Psalm 1:2, where we are told of the blessed person whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” In his commentary on Psalm 1, Allan Harmon writes, “The Hebrew word translated ‘meditates’ ( hâgâh) implies something more than silent reflection. It is used in Joshua 1:8, where God told Joshua to “meditate” on his law day and night. In the Old Testament, one of the key words translated as “meditate” is the Hebrew word hâgâh. But the biblical foundations for the concept suggest even more.īiblical meditation is pondering the words of Scripture with a receptive heart, trusting the Holy Spirit to work in you through those words. By definition, it implies careful consideration and focused attention upon its object. But to ponder is “to weigh in the mind” or reflect upon something. Reading and study are important, and can even enable us to meditate properly by helping us to understand the original meaning of a verse or phrase in its context. Ponder: Biblical meditation is an act of “pondering.” This is different from simply reading or studying the Bible. Let’s consider the key parts of this definition. Biblical meditation is pondering the words of Scripture with a receptive heart, trusting the Holy Spirit to work in you through those words. But biblical meditation is not simply about focusing upon ourselves, or emptying our minds, or trying to achieve a state of calmness. Others think of meditation as “mindfulness”-a heightened awareness of one’s own thoughts. Many people associate the word with transcendental meditation, a technique that is intended to achieve a state of inner peace. Jim’s initial concerns about meditation are quite common.
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