The Blessed Man Part 2
- The Godly Man’s Pleasure
He Is Satisfied with the Word (1:2)
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; (the word of God) and in his law (the word of God) doth he meditate day and night.
Delight = pleasure; desire; a valuable thing;
- The Word of God Has Captured His Full Affection
“His delight is in the law of the LORD.”
He has a different counselor than the ungodly man,
He finds different company than the sinful man,
He has a different cause than the scornful man.
His first love is for the Word of God.
- The Word of God Has Claimed His Full Attention
“And in His law doth he meditates day and night.” He does not pore over the books of the scornful; he pores over the Scriptures.
MEDITATION The practice of reflection or contemplation. The word meditation or its verb form, to meditate, is found mainly in the Old Testament.
NT:3191meletao (mel-et-ah’-o); from a presumed derivative of NT:3199; to take care of, i.e. (by implication) revolve in the mind:
KJV – imagine, (pre-) meditate.
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
The Hebrew words behind this concept mean “to murmur, “a murmuring,” “sighing,” or “moaning.” This concept is reflected in Ps 1:2, where the “blessed man” meditates on God’s Law Day and night.
The psalmist also prayed that the meditation of his heart would be acceptable in God’s sight (Ps 19:14).
Joshua was instructed to meditate on the Book of the Law for the purpose of obeying all that was written in it (Josh 1:8).
The Greek word translated as meditate occurs only twice in the New Testament. In Luke 21:14 Jesus instructed His disciples not “to meditate beforehand” in answering their adversaries when the end of the age comes. The word may be understood in this passage as the idea of preparing a defense for a court appearance.
Luke 21:14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. NKJV
Paul, in 1 Tim 4:15, urged Timothy to meditate, or take pains with, the instructions he gives.
1 Tim 4:12-16
Take Heed to Your Ministry
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. NKJV
The idea of meditation is also found in Phil 4:8 and Col 3:2.
Phil 4:8 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.
Col 3:2 Set your affection (meditate) on things above, not on things on the earth.
The meditation the Psalmist advocates deliberately engages the conscious mind with the truths of God’s Word.
We come into God’s presence, open Bible in hand, and say, “Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth.”
Then we read the Bible in a disciplined, meaningful, meditating way, seeking to understand and appropriate its truths.
We ask the following questions, for instance, when meditating on the Bible:
Is there any sin here for me to avoid?
Is there any promise for me to claim?
Is there any victory to gain?
Is there any blessing to enjoy?
Is there any truth I have never seen before about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, about man, sin?
What is the main thing I can learn here?
That’s meditation, especially keeping a notepad and pen handy and writing down what the Holy Spirit brings to mind as we thus ponder (meditate) God’s Word. For writing maketh an exact man.
Bro Frank Holcomb said if it is worth remembering it’s worth writing down. Nothing wrong with having notes. If we cannot verbalize it, we haven’t learned anything.
The Amplified Bible
Psalms 1:2 But his delight and desire the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions. teachings of God) he habitually meditates (Ponders and studies) by day and by night.
