Thus far in our series on the Psalms we have studied three types of Psalm:

• Psalms 42 & 43 - is an example of a Psalm of Individual Lament;

The outpouring of the Soul of the Believer who is facing Depression & Discouragement.

• The 2^nd Psalm is a marvellous example of a Messianic Psalm.

• Psalm 8 is an example of a Song of Praise, which asks the fundamental question:

We come now to a Psalm of Entreaty;

This is a type of Psalm which focuses on an Extended Prayer of a Man of God.

• Other examples of Psalms of Entreaty are Psalm 21, 67 & 89.

• Psalm 25 is also a Psalm with an Acrostic arrangement:

Although the main emphasis of this Psalm is on the Prayer of the Psalmist David.

It is also a Psalm that continually touches upon the Theme of Spiritual Meditation.

• Therefore, Psalm 25 is best described as a Psalm of Prayer intertwined with Meditation.

Derek Thomas, describes this Psalm as:

"A five layer cake of Prayer (v1-7), Meditation (v8-10), Prayer (v11),

Meditation (v12-15), & Prayer (v16-22)."

John Calvin says: "This Psalm consists of meditations mingled with prayers.

Before we continue, we need to ask the question: What is Meditation?

We need to be careful to say what is meant by the term 'Meditation'

• Nowadays, when the world uses the term 'meditation', reference is usually being made to some form of Transcendental Meditation, which stems from Eastern Religions.
• Transcendental Meditation is certainly not to be equated with Biblical Meditation.

Richard Foster, an American author, says:

"All Eastern forms of meditation stress the need to become detached from the world.

There is an emphasis upon losing personhood & individuality & merging with Cosmic

Mind. Detachment is the final goal of Eastern religion. It is escaping from the miserable

wheel of existence. It is merely a method of controlling the brain waves in order to

improve your psychological & emotional well-being."

In Eastern forms of meditation, as in Transcendental Meditation, there is an attempt to

empty the mind & to keep it empty so as to feel a sense of peace & tranquillity. As

Biblical meditation, however, is an attempt to empty the mind of wrong things in order to

fill it with what is right & true according to the teaching of God's inspired Word.

Richard Foster says:

"Transcendental Meditation is a form of detachment & escapism.

It is a way of escaping from the miserable wheel of existence."

One writer says that, on the other hand, Biblical Meditation involves the

twofold process of 'Detachment & Attachment'.

"It involves becoming detached from the controlling & hindering influences of the world;

The Hebrew word, often used in the Psalms for 'Meditation', literally means 'to mutter'.

• The same word is used to describe a growling lion & a cooing dove (Is 31:4 & 59:11).

What the Bible writers seem to have in mind is the repetition of words.

• In the days before the mass production of Bibles, muttering Bible words was about the

only way God's Word could stick in the mind.

• This kind of Meditation was certainly not done in silence.

It was an audible muttering, rather than an inner voice which the writers had in mind.

However, Meditation isn't only the muttering or repetition of words for the sake of it.

• It doesn't imply the vain repetition or vain babbling which characterised Pagan Prayers, referred to by the Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:7).

• It isn't the vain babblings or godless chatter, which Paul speaks to Timothy about (1Tim6:10)

• Biblical Meditation involves repeating the words with reflective thinking or contemplation.
• It usually involves reflective thinking on a particular subject to discern its meaning

& its significance & implications for our lives.

This is what the Psalmist David refers to in Psalm 35:28:

"My tongue will speak of your righteousness & of your praises all day long."

The same kind of idea is expressed in Psalm 19:14:

"May the words of my mouth & the Meditation of my Heart be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, my Rock & my Redeemer."

• The words of our mouth are a mockery unless they reflect the Meditation of our Hearts.
• Neither the words of the mouth or the meditation of the heart are really acceptable

unless they are pleasing to the Lord.

• It is absolutely imperative that the Believer's words & meditation should

both be in tune with the Word & Will of God.

Hampton Keathley, an American Reformed Pastor, says:

"Meditation, in the true Biblical sense, means the act of focusing one's thoughts,

to ponder, think or muse. Meditation consists of reflective thinking or contemplation,

usually on a specific subject to discern its meaning or significance or plan of action.

Some synonyms would be contemplation, reflection, rumination, deep thinking,

Derek Thomas, in Help for Hurting Christians, gives a simple definition of Meditation:

"If Prayer is Talking to God, then Meditation is Thinking about God in his Presence."

• Note how the emphasis is on Thinking about God - 'In his Presence'.
• Meditation is not something abstract or detached.
• It is not the Thinking which a Student does when shut in the room pouring over his books.
• Rather, it is the Kind of Thinking which a little child does when he sits on his father's knee & looks into the eyes of his father; listening adoringly to the astonishing knowledge & abilities which he perceives his father possesses.

For example, look at Psalm 25:8-10, bearing in mind this picture of a little child

looking up into his father's eyes, & thinking about him:

"Good & upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the

• This is what is what Spiritual Meditation is all about.

It is reflecting aloud upon the Divine Character of God.

There are several indications in this Psalm that David is involved in

True Biblical Meditation, even though the actual word 'meditation' isn't used -

The First is the manner in which he Focuses his Thoughts upon the Lord:

The Psalmist David opens his prayer with these words:

• The Psalmist asks us to imagine someone looking into the 'face' of God.

He finds himself looking up to Heaven, thinking of Who the Lord is.

Therefore, he is looking up at the Lord with a sense of adoration & submission.

• He gives us a mental picture of someone whose gaze is firmly & totally fixed upon the Lord. Here is someone who concentrates his mind & soul upon the Lord in such a way that

everything else fades into the background.

Matthew Henry comments on this verse, saying:

"Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God; God must be eyed & the soul employed."

Another writer says:

"True prayer may be described as the soul rising from earth to have fellowship with

heaven; it is taking a journey on Jacob's ladder, leaving our cares & fears at the foot,

& meeting with a Covenant God at the top."

• The Believer uses Prayer & Meditation like the wings of an eagle,

lifting the soul toward heaven, far above the cares of this world.

John Calvin points out that the Hebrew word is in the Future Tense:

"'I will lift my soul.' By using the future tense David denotes a continued act."

• The Psalmist continually lifts up his soul to God in Prayer.
• The continual disposition of the Psalmist's soul is one of Prayer & Meditation.

Exactly the same thought is expressed in verse 15:

"My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare."

• The Psalmist is making the claim that his spiritual eyes are firmly fixed on the Lord.
• His Trust is firmly fixed on the Lord & not on the power of his army.

• He looks to the Lord with great confidence & waits on the Lord with a great hope.

• The Believer who is in a state of Blessedness & true Happiness is the Believer

whose eyes are never removed from his God. He is the one who constantly gazes upon the

A further indication that David's mind is focussed on the Lord in Psalm 25

is fact that he speaks of Waiting on the Lord:

The word translated as 'wait or hope' in this Psalm is sometimes given a

slightly different connotation. For example, in Psalm 62:1:

"My soul finds rest in God alone."

In the New American Standard Version, this verse is translated as:

"My soul waits in silence for God only.

• The term 'wait or hope' can also mean 'to be silent before God.'

• We have already noted that 'Meditation' does not necessarily have to be done in silence.

The Old Testament saint often repeated the Word of God aloud in order to remember it.

What the Psalmist is speaking about in Psalm 62:1 is not 'silence' in the sense of

the lack of audibility, but, rather, 'waiting on God in Humility.'

• This is the way in which the Apostle Paul speaks to the Romans about the Universality of Sin.
• He tells us that the Moral Law of God condemns every form of unrighteousness.

When we come into the Presence of a Holy God, the Law of God shuts us up.

• Standing in the Presence of a Holy God, Sinners have nothing to boast about.
• All we can do is to Praise God for the Salvation which is ours in Christ.
• All we can do is to Claim the Righteousness of Christ, Recognising our own Sinfulness.

This is what the Psalmist David is talking about in Psalm 25:5:
"Guide me in your truth & teach me, for you are God my Saviour,

& my Hope is in you all day long" (AV On thee do I wait all the day) (verse 5).

He finds himself in the Presence of God, meditating on the Way of Salvation.

• He realises that he is a sinner who cannot save himself.

He has no righteousness of his own. So his mouth is stopped in God's Presence.

• The only thing he can do is to wait on the Lord in silent humility, & to hope in the Lord.

The First indication that David is involved in True Biblical Meditation is the manner in which he Focuses his Thoughts on the Lord.

The Second indication that David is involved in True Biblical Meditation is

the manner in which he uses Repetition

• The main point of David's Prayer is found in verse 11,

which has two sessions of Meditation before & after this prayer:

• It is a prayer which invokes the Name of God, a name which speaks to him about

Mercy & Forgiveness.

In Psalm 25 the Psalmist David repeats this same prayer Three Times:

"Remember not the sins of my youth & my rebellious ways; according to your love

remember me, for you are good, O Lord" (verse 7).

Jesus warned us about the 'vain repetition' of the Pharisees, who made long prayers with seemingly never ending repetitious thoughts for the sake of sounding righteous (Mtt 6:7).

• However, this doesn't mean that repetition itself is wrong.
• What Jesus condemned is 'vain repetitions'. There were some who believed that repeating something over & over again possessed some form of inherent magical power.

• Repetition can be very valuable when it is used in the right way.

• It is a form of meditation which helps you to reflect on your thoughts about God.

In this case, the Psalmist David has an earnest desire for Forgiveness.

• It is such a burden upon his soul, he cannot be content with just saying it once.
• He has a burning desire in his soul to plead with God until he receives forgiveness.

Therefore, he cannot help telling God about it. So he repeats it over & over again.

• There are Three Sessions of Prayer in this Psalm, interspersed with Two Sessions of Meditation. David repeats his Prayer of Forgiveness in each Session of Prayer, because this is the Main Theme of his Whole Prayer.

The First indication that David is involved in True Biblical Meditation is the manner in which he Focuses his Thoughts on the Lord:

"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul" (Ps 25:1).

The Second indication that David is involved in True Biblical Meditation is the manner in

which he uses Repetition, concerning his desire for forgiveness of sins (v7, 11 & 18).

The Third indication that David is involved in True Biblical Meditation is the manner in which he does not use Meditation as a form of Escapism. Rather, his Meditation & Prayer are firmly centred on God's Intervention in his Personal Circumstances.

• Look at the situation in which the Psalmist David finds himself:

• He is deeply troubled in his soul. His enemies are all around him, seeking to devour him.

• He feels in a state of deep distress because of the cruelty of his enemies.

• He doesn't want his enemies to triumph over him, lest the name of the God of Israel, and God's servant David, should be put to shame (Ps 25:2-3).

What does David do in his time of deep distress?

First of all, David looks up toward Heaven & Prays to his Heavenly Father (v1-7).

• He lifts up his soul toward Heaven, & looks into the 'face' of God.

He finds himself looking up to Heaven, & pouring out his troubled soul to the Lord.

In verses 1-7 David Prays for the Help of the Lord in this time of deep distress.

• These enemies would gloat over his downfall, and so he prays that he will not be

put to shame; & that his enemies will not triumph over him (v2).

• For David, there is a major spiritual principle at stake here (v3).

A man who places his Hope in the Almighty God is in deep distress.

• In this situation, the Man of God needs to understand the way in which God is leading

David uses these thoughts as the basis of his Prayer (v5-7):

"Show me your ways - teach me your paths; guide me in your truth."

"Teach me", says David, "for you are God my Saviour."

In other words, David is saying: "Teach me, because you are the only One I can turn to.

No one else can teach me & give me understanding of your dealings with me."

"My hope is in you all day long" - You are the only One in whom I can place my hope!

• David goes on to ask the Lord God to show him great mercy & love (v6)

What does David do in his time of deep distress?

• First of all, David looks up toward Heaven & Prays to his Heavenly Father (v1-7).

Secondly, in verse 8-10, David interrupts his Prayer with a note of Meditation:

• After praying about his personal needs & pouring out his soul because of his distress,

David turns to contemplation concerning the Lord God himself.

In this particular time of Spiritual Meditation, David finds himself reflecting upon

Four aspects of the Glorious Nature of God.

• In verse 8, David meditates upon the Goodness & Righteousness of God.

He speaks to himself, and tells himself that these Glorious Attributes are the very basis

upon which God deals with his people (v8-9).

David continues, in verse 10, by meditating upon the Steadfast Love & Faithfulness of God.

• God's Covenant with his people is based upon the Steadfast Love & Faithfulness of God.

These two Glorious Attributes are the very foundation upon which God's Covenant stands.

John Calvin comments on this verse, saying:

"God acts in such a manner towards his people, so that, in all respects, they may find from

experience that he is Merciful & Faithful. David is not speaking here of the character in

which God acts towards mankind in general, but what his own children will find him to be

… David justly describes the Mercy & Faithfulness of God as a treasure peculiar to the

godly; as if he had said, 'We have no reason to be afraid that God will deceive us if we

persevere in the Covenant." (Note - Mercy is also called Steadfast Love).

What you have to do here is to visualise the Psalmist David looking up into the face of his Heavenly Father & Meditating upon his Goodness & Righteousness (v8) & upon his

Steadfast Love & Faithfulness.

• Note how David uses this time of meditation, not only to think about the Character of God, but also how these Attributes of God place demands upon his people.

Firstly, David says to himself:

"God possesses these Attributes of Goodness & Righteousness.

Secondly, David says to himself:

"God possesses these Attributes of Steadfast Love & Faithfulness.

Therefore, God demands that his people, in return, manifest these same characteristics in

their relationship with him."

Remember what God said to the Nation of Israel, after he had given them the Commandments:

• God is saying: "My Covenant with you is based upon my Steadfast Love & Faithfulness. Therefore, I expect you to love the Lord your God; to remain Faithful to him & to him alone.

This kind of Spiritual Meditation is something we often find in the Psalms.

In fact, we find this at the very beginning of the Book of Psalms:

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the

The Psalmist Meditates upon the Law of God because it helps him to Meditate upon the

Holy Character of God & upon the demands that God's Character make upon God's people.

C H Spurgeon says:

"Mark the Psalmist's positive character. 'His delight is in the Law of the Lord'. He is not

under the Law as a curse & condemnation, but he is in it, & he delights to be in it as his

rule of life; he delights, moreover, to meditate in it, to read it by day, & think upon it by

night. He takes a text & carries it with him all day long; & in the night-watches, when

sleep forsakes his eyelids, he museth upon the Word of God. In the day of his prosperity

he sings psalms out of the Word of God, & in the night of his affliction he comforts

himself with promises out of the same book."

We have noted that David finds himself Meditating upon Four aspects of the Glorious Nature of God - His Goodness & Righteousness & also his Steadfast Love & Faithfulness.

• We learn from this that True Biblical Meditation always has a definite object in mind:

• In Transcendental Meditation there is an attempt to empty the mind.

• Biblical Meditation begins with reflective reading & re-reading of God's Word.

Then it is followed by reflection on what has been read & committed to memory.

• In Scripture the word 'meditate' is generally found together with an object.

(For example the object may be God himself, God's Word, or God's Works).

For example, the Psalmist meditated upon God himself & upon God's Mighty Deeds & Power (Ps 63:6; 77:11-12 & 78:42). Other Psalms speak of the Believer meditating upon the Law of God & upon the Promises of God (Ps 1:2; 119:97 & 148).

In Scripture, Meditation NEVER EVER means to sit & ponder infinity,

like people try to do in Transcendental Meditation:

• It never means emptying the mind of all kinds of thoughts, simply so that some kind of unknown force can fill the mind by the repeating of some kind of chant or mantra.
• Rather, Biblical Mediation means reflective thinking on Biblical Truth so that God is able to speak to us through Scripture. It involves the thoughts that come to mind as we are reflecting upon the meaning of the God's Word.

Hampton Keathley says:

"The Goal of Biblical Meditation is to internalise & personalise the Scripture so that

its truth can affect how we think, (our attitudes), & how we live, (our actions)."

The Psalmist tells us why he meditated upon the Law of God:

"Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law & obey it with all my heart" (Ps 119:34).

The Apostle Paul tells us why God's people ought to meditate upon

the humility & obedience of the Lord Jesus, saying:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus"

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).

Jack Sin, in an Evangelical Times article, defines Biblical Meditation like this:

"In our hectic & exacting lifestyle today, an oft-neglected privilege & duty is that of

Prayerful Meditation on the Lord & his Word. A fruitful time of meditation, reading the

Word & seeking the Lord, is needful for a healthy spiritual life. Christian Meditation is a

holy exercise of the mind, by which we bring to remembrance the Truth of God,

seriously ponder it in our hearts, & apply it in our daily living. Careful meditation

requires that a Christian should recede from the world into a quiet frame of mind to seek

God alone. To meditate is to dwell seriously upon the things of God."

Note how David uses this First Session of Meditation as a springboard for

his Second Session of Prayer

Remember the pattern of this Psalm: Verse 1-7 Prayer; verse 8-10 Meditation;

verse 11 Prayer; verse 12-15 Meditation; verse 16-22 Prayer.

We read David's Second Session of Prayer in verse 11:

"For the sake of your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great."

We have already noted that David repeats this same Prayer Three Times - verses 7, 11 & 18.

• The main point of David's Prayer throughout this Psalm is found here in verse 11,

• It is a prayer which invokes the Name of God, a name which speaks to him about

Mercy & Forgiveness.

The thing which David desires is for the Forgiveness of God, because his iniquities are great.

• It is such a burden upon his soul, he cannot be content with just saying it once.

• He repeats this Prayer three times because he has such a burning desire in his soul to plead with God for forgiveness, that he must continue until he receives that forgiveness..

But note how David uses the Meditation of v8-10 to enhance in Prayer of verse 11.

• It is just as though David had asked himself this vital question:

In verse 8, David meditates upon the Goodness & Righteousness of God.

He speaks to himself, and tells himself that these Glorious Attributes are the very basis

upon which God deals with his people (v8-9).

Then, in verse 10, David meditates upon the Steadfast Love & Faithfulness of God.

• God's Covenant with his people is based upon the Steadfast Love & Faithfulness of God.

These two Glorious Attributes are the very foundation upon which God's Covenant stands.

Now David concludes that he can bring to the Lord God his Prayer for Forgiveness, on the grounds of these very same Attributes.

• The Lord God of Heaven & Earth cannot be a God who Forgives Sinners unless he is a God who possesses these four Glorious Attributes of Goodness & Righteousness; as well as Steadfast Love & Faithfulness

• David's Meditation upon these Attributes in verses 8-10, leads him to Pray that God would reveal these Attributes for the sake of his Holy Name, by forgiving his iniquity.
• At the same time, these very same Attributes cause David to recognise the fact that

his iniquities are very great.

This Psalm teaches us that Prayer & Meditation should always go hand in hand.

• There ought to be a Balance between Prayer & Meditation in our Lives.

Derek Thomas says:

"In the Protestant tradition there has, rightly, been an emphasis upon petition

rather than contemplation. People who, after all, know their God will talk freely,

as children do to their fathers. Those who do not know God will only feel a sense of

mystery & strangeness when they pray. For such, silence speaks louder than words.

But we are mistaken if we think that there is no place for Meditation."

Derek Thomas sums up the usefulness of these Psalms of Meditation & Entreaty:

"Psalms like these are not meant for reading at speed! They teach us to take a precious

truth & chew on it, extracting all the juices slowly & carefully. 'I will meditate on your

precepts, & contemplate your ways' (Ps 119:15)."

Philip Henry, the father of Matthew Henry, once said:

APPENDIX (1) Balance between Meditation & Prayer (concentrating on 2^nd part of Ps 25)

Psalm 25 teaches us that one of the main Characteristics of True Biblical Meditation is for the Believer to strike a Balance between Prayer & Meditation.

• Prayer & meditation must always go side by side in the life of the Believer.
• On the one hand, Meditation without Prayer is not true Meditation.

On the other hand, our Prayer life is greatly enhanced & our Prayers are more powerful &

effective if we Meditate upon the One to whom we are addressing our Petitions.

We noted earlier that John Calvin says:

"This Psalm consists of meditations mingled with prayers.

This Psalm has Five Layers of Prayer & Meditation:

Verses 1-7, Prayer; Verses 8-10, Meditation; Verse 11, Prayer;

Verses 12-15, Meditation; & verses 16-22, Prayer.

True Biblical Meditation is a Discipline.

• Meditation requires a great deal of effort on the part of the Believer.
• It is not a time for letting the imagination run wild.

It is not a time for flitting around from one thought to another.

Nor is does it involve reading Scripture only to find beautiful thoughts that take your fancy.

• True Biblical Meditation has a pattern & a purpose to it.

Take note of what David does, looking especially at the 2^nd session of Meditation in Ps 25:

• In verses 1-7, David Prays & pours out his soul to God because of the

distress caused by his enemies.

• In verses 8-10, he Meditates Upon the Goodness & Righteousness of God

& then he Meditates upon God's Steadfast Love & his Faithfulness.

• In verse 11, the Meditation of v8-10, leads David to Pray that God would reveal these Attributes for the sake of his Holy Name, by forgiving his iniquity. These Attributes also show David that his iniquities are very great.

• Then, in verses 12-15, the Psalmist returns to a time of Meditation, which is directly linked to his previous Prayer in v11. In the Presence of God, he Meditates upon a vital question:

"Who is the man who lives in the Fear of the Lord & who has had his sins forgiven?"

• The question posed by David highlights the theme of his 2^nd Pause for Meditation. The Palmist's intention is to have a time of self-examination in God's Presence.
• David meditates on the fact that the man who fears the Lord is the man whom the Lord instructs in his ways. The Lord teaches this man the way he should go (v12).

• The man who fears the Lord is the man who experiences the Blessing of God (v13).

• The man who fears the Lord is the man who has an intimate relationship with God.

One writer says:

"The covenant's antiquity, security, righteousness, fullness, graciousness &

• The man who fears the Lord is the man who keeps his spiritual eyes

Solomon reflects this truth in the Book of Ecclesiastes:

"The eye never has enough of seeing" (Ecclesiastes 1:8).

This is especially true of the eye of the man of God which is firmly fixed on his Lord.

His spiritual eye can never have enough of looking into the face of the Almighty God.

• This man's Trust in the Lord gives him the full assurance of knowing that the

Lord God will Deliver him in times of Trial & Distress.

The man of God is in a conflicting situation:

• Finally, in verses 16-22, David turns this Second Session of Meditation into a further Prayer.

This final section of David's Prayer is more intense than the previous sections.

• He feels lonely & afflicted (verse 16);
• Therefore, he makes a desperate plea for the Lord to turn &

look upon his afflictions, & to be gracious to him.

The 'troubles' of his heart have now grown into 'vast troubles':

David says: "The troubles of my heart have multiplied" (verse 17).

His enemies have increased & their hatred of him has become more intense (v19).

Their hatred is about to burst into open violence of great intensity.

However, the intensifying of his trial & distress forces this man of God to Pray all the more!

David brings Three Requests before the Lord and gives his Reason for each Request.

His First Request (v16-18):

"Turn to me … Be gracious to me … Bring me out of my distresses …

The Reason for this First Request:

"I am lonely & afflicted … I am in a great deal of trouble & distress …

His Second Request (v19-20):

"Look upon my enemies … Guard my soul … Deliver me …

Do not let me be ashamed."

The Reason for this Second Request:

"I have many enemies … They hate me with a violent hatred …

His Third Request (v21-22):

"He makes a personal request that the Lord would protect & preserve him …

He makes a national request that the Lord would Redeem the people of Israel

The Reason for this Third Request:

"He is a man of Integrity & Uprightness …

This Psalm teaches us that Prayer & Meditation should always go hand in hand.

• There ought to be a Balance between Prayer & Meditation in our Lives.

Derek Thomas says:

"In the Protestant tradition there has, rightly, been an emphasis upon petition

rather than contemplation. People who, after all, know their God will talk freely,

as children do to their fathers. Those who do not know God will only feel a sense of

mystery & strangeness when they pray. For such, silence speaks louder than words.

But we are mistaken if we think that there is no place for Meditation."

There is no doubt that the Book of Psalms places an emphasis on

Meditation as well as an emphasis upon Prayer.

• In this respect it is interesting to note that the Longest Psalm (Psalm 119) is,

primarily a Psalm of Meditation.

• For example, Eight Times in Psalm 119 we are told that Meditating on the Law of God will help Believers to grow & be strong in the Lord (Ps 119:27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148).

Other Psalms indicate that Meditation ought to be an Integral Part of

our Morning & Evening Devotions.

"Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King

& my God, for to you I pray. Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;

morning by morning I lay my requests before you & wait in expectation" (Ps 5:1-3).

"On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night" Ps 63:6).

"I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused & my spirit inquired" (Ps 77:6).

The Psalmist prays to the Lord, saying:

"May my Meditation be pleasing to him, as I Rejoice in the Lord" (Ps 104:34).

"May the words of my mouth & the Meditation of my Heart be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, my Rock & my Redeemer" (Ps 19:14).

• Meditation is pleasing to the Lord & will cause the man of God to Rejoice in the Lord.

Derek Thomas sums up the usefulness of these Psalms of Meditation & Entreaty:

"Psalms like these are not meant for reading at speed! They teach us to take a precious

truth & chew on it, extracting all the juices slowly & carefully. 'I will meditate on your

precepts, & contemplate your ways' (Ps 119:15)."

Philip Henry, the father of Matthew Henry, once said:

• It can certainly be said that Meditating on a Psalm, such as Psalm 25, promotes

Biblical Thinking on how a Believer can find Help in the time of Trial & Distress.

APPENDIX (2)

True Biblical Meditation has Four Main Objectives in view:

Firstly: Meditation has the objective of Worship:

• Meditation is designed to focus upon the Lord & upon his works (Ps 27:4; 77:12).
• Meditation provides us the space in our lives for Communion with God.

• It involves lifting up the spiritual life over & above the material world & the activities of everyday living.
• It also involves getting away from the hustle & bustle of the world, & spending time to concentrate upon spiritual realities & the worship of God.

Secondly, Meditation has the objective of Instruction:

• Meditation is designed to improve our understanding of God's Word & God's Ways,

as it applies to our daily living.

• The Psalmist tells us that understanding & wisdom come from the meditation of the heart

upon the Word of God (Ps 49:3 cf 119:27 & 97).

• In meditation we are exchanging our thoughts with God's thoughts.
• If you find that your thoughts are contrary to the thoughts of God, then you must exchange your way of thinking with God's way of thinking.
• You must learn to think through the words of Scripture, so that your very thinking is according to the Word & Will of God.

Thirdly, Meditation has the objective of Motivation & Encouragement:

• It is designed to motivate us & inspire us in our service for the Lord.
• It is designed to give us the courage to continue doing the work which God has called us to do

Remember the message of the Lord God to Joshua:

"Be strong & very courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land

I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses

gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful

wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from you mouth; meditate on it

day & night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be

prosperous & successful" (Joshua 1:7-8).

Fourthly, Meditation has the objective of Transformation:

• It is designed to transform & change our lives.

The Psalmist says:

"In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds,

search your hearts & be silent" (Ps 4:4).

"I meditate on your precepts & consider your ways" (119:15).

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living

sacrifices, holy & pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:2).

We should say with the Hymnwriter, Isaac Watts:

"Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all."

FUTURE THEMES:

Secondly: True Biblical Meditation always involves Repetition

Thirdly: True Biblical Meditation always includes a time of Silence before the Lord

Fourthly: True Biblical Meditation always rests upon the Promises of God.