MOONSTONE
MEDITATION
PSALM
119:97-104
מ
(Mem)
Psalm
119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Susan: Let’s
define meditation:
American
Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.
MEDITA'TION,
noun [Latin meditatio.] Close or continued thought; the turning or revolving of
a subject in the mind; serious contemplation.
Let
the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy
sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalms 19:14.
Susan: The
psalmist not only reads the word of God and studies it, but he mulls it over in
his mind constantly throughout the day.
Susie: I have
found that the more I contemplate the word of God, really dwell on it, the more
I appreciate and love this divine revelation with which the Lord has blessed
us.
Susan: The
word not only reveals God’s will and ways to us, but it is truly a love letter
to His bride, the church.
Psalm
119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for
they are ever with me.
Susie: The
commandments are constantly with the psalmist because he has invested the time
in meditating upon them, and as he said earlier in Psalm 119:11, he has “hidden
them in his heart.”
Susan: The
word of God through the psalmist’s investment in it, prepared him to withstand
the assault of his enemy and emerge victorious against them because scripture
is his weapon.
Ephesians
6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God:
Psalm
119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are
my meditation.
Susie: At
first glance, this statement may seem to be a boast. However, he is merely
stating that he has invested a great deal of time in the word of God, and as we
will see momentarily, has been taught by the Holy Spirit Himself.
Susan: Immersing
ourselves in Scripture makes a tremendous difference in the wisdom we take away
from it by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm
119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
Susie: “Ancients”
is sometimes translated “aged.” The psalmist’s understanding and wisdom were
firmly rooted in the Scripture. Being old does not necessarily mean having more
of the wisdom of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Bible Commentary
100.
more than the ancients—Antiquity is no help against stupidity, where it does
not accord with God's word [Luther] (Job 32:7-9). The Bible is the key of all
knowledge, the history of the world, past, present, and to come (Ps 111:10). He
who does the will of God shall know of the doctrine (Joh 7:17).
Susan: The
psalmist was being taught by the most ancient of ancients, the Lord God
Himself. There is not greater teacher, no deeper instruction. Therefore, Paul
could write the following to his protégé, his son in the faith, Timothy:
1
Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the
believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in
purity.
Psalm
119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy
word.
Susie: The
psalmist lived centuries prior to the Apostle Paul, but verse 101 makes it
sound like he was obeying Paul’s admonition, which was, of course, given by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He was following the word of God closely,
living out what he had learned.
Psalm
119:102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
Susan: The
Lord personally imparted divine truth via His word to the psalmist.
Susie: God
may not have been physically, visibly standing beside him, but by the Spirit,
He shed light on all the psalmist studied in the scriptures.
Susan: The
Holy Spirit illuminates scripture for those who believe and choose to follow
His path.
John
14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Psalm
119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my
mouth!
Susan: Honey in
scripture symbolizes pleasantness, goodness, joy and prosperity. If you Google
the meaning of honey in scripture, you will find several articles to this
effect. One is found here:
Susie: The
psalmist is not literally eating his copy of the Torah. However, when we speak
the word of God, it brings goodness, light, and joy. Therefore, it can be
compared to the sweetness of honey. Meditation on scripture can be compared to
chewing on delightful candy.
Susan: In the
big picture, even the parts of the Bible that seem bitter to swallow, are sweet
because they are placed there as markers to keep us on the right path.
Susie: When I
was a child, I had to take a capsule that I was unable to swallow. The doctor
told my mother to open it up and put the contents in a spoon for me to take,
but it was bitter; and I refused it. My wise mother placed the bitter medicine
in a spoon but coated it with chocolate syrup. The sweetness of the chocolate
made it easy to take the medicine I needed to get well. So it is with the word
of God.
Psalm
119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false
way.
Susie: As you
study and internalize the word of God, your tolerance for sin in your life
grows smaller. This is not that you become judgmental but that you are able to
discern falseness in yourself and others.
Susan: When
we know better, our desire is to do better. Our desire changes from our own
motivation to the motivation of the Holy Spirit.
Points
to Ponder:
· Meditating
on scripture brings wisdom and understanding
· As the
Holy Spirit gives us understanding, we are to obey the word of God
· God’s
word is sweeter than dessert but is to be our main course
· A love
of God’s word helps us discern between good and evil
Reflection
Question: When I go to a museum, I prefer to go alone rather than
with a tour group because I want to sit and take in the nuances of a painting.
When I eat cheesecake, I take small bites and savor each one. When I bake, I
enjoy relaxing to breathe in the scent of cinnamon. Reading the word of God
should be the same kind of experience. Do you read through the Bible in a year
but fail to slow down long enough to meditate on it? Do you see Bible study as
a necessary discipline or a delightful delicacy to be savored?
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