Dwelling in the Word: A Quick Guide to Meditating on Scripture
Are you new to reading the Bible? Or perhaps you’ve spent time trying to read the Bible with little understanding or impact on your life.
When I started reading the Bible regularly out of desire rather than out of duty, I didn’t start by attempting to read the whole Bible or even an entire book. I started with one chapter, and I read it over and over. I didn’t look up word meanings, read commentaries, or even listen to sermons. I simply read and prayed, asking God to help me understand and live it out.
That initial beginning of getting into God’s Word was meditating on scripture. Today, when we hear the word “meditate,” our mind may tend to go to the Eastern religious idea of emptying our minds. But when the word meditate was used in Scripture, it meant something different. The Hebrew word for meditate meant to murmur, ponder, imagine, mutter, speak, or utter. The Hebrew people would memorize Scripture by muttering it under their breath as they went throughout their day. They would imagine the meaning of the scripture as they spoke it. Rather than emptying their minds, they filled them with truth.
You can choose any scripture to meditate on, but Psalms are great because each Psalm can stand on its own. Here are a few suggestions: Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Psalm 91, or Psalm 103. Outside the Psalms, I suggest John 15, Matthew 6:9-13, Romans 8, Philippians 2:1-11, or James 1.
As you meditate, consider what the passage tells you about God. What is His character like? If you’re up for taking notes, write down anything that sticks out to you and any questions you may have. As you read it repeatedly, ask the Holy Spirit for insight. Consider the surrounding context as if you’re reading any other piece of literature. Even after multiple readings, it’s okay if you don’t understand it all. For some scripture passages, complete understanding may not come until you have learned to use other Bible study tools. But God is faithful and gives good gifts to those who ask with a pure heart, so he will give you all the understanding you need for the moment you are in.