Governed by the Attitude of the Savior: Psalm 119:97-104

Governed by the Attitude of the Savior

Psalm 119:97-104

When he meditates, the believer fills his mind with truth so that his life becomes governed by the attitude of the Savior.
David Saxton

Saturation means to hold as much moisture as possible, to be filled with something to a very full extent. It is to be filled so completely with something so that no more can be added. Jesus Christ was so saturated with the Scriptures that even in His darkest hour, He was speaking the Scriptures (Keller). From the cross, He cried, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) Words which come directly from Psalm 22. Truly this demonstrates for us the words of the psalmist, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). Meditation on the Word of God saturates the mind and heart so much so that in any circumstance, even adversity, truth flows through and from the one who meditates, effecting their words and actions. Their meditation has so filled their mind with truth that their lives become governed by their Savior. 
 
Biblical meditation is reflection, musing, thinking deeply or carefully about or contemplating the Scriptures. It is not emptying the mind or any other form of mysticism. "What does it mean to meditate? It means to think personally, practically, seriously, and earnestly on how the truth of God's Word should look in life. Edmund Calamy described it as 'dwelling upon the mercies we receive, the chewing upon the promises'"(Saxton). To meditate is "taking what you've learned cognitively and working it into the heart...it is to make the Word flesh" (Keller). Richard Baxter said meditation is "the effecting of our own hearts and minds with love, light, and humility toward the things contained in the word." 

In this section of Psalm 119, the psalmist's meditation had produced exactly what meditation ought to produce: practical, holy living. Meditating upon the Word of God made the psalmist wise (119:98), gave him understanding (119:99-100), restrained his feet from evil (119:101), produced obedience (119:102), made God's Word even sweeter to him (119:103), placed him directly under the greatest Teacher, the Lord Himself (119:103), and shaped his desires to love what was good and hate what was evil (119:104). 

But practically, how do we meditate? Tim Keller's sermon The Bridge to Prayer offered helpful advice. He said meditation always involves asking questions about the Scripture. He shared how Martin Luther meditated on the Scriptures. Luther asked three questions about a particular verse or passage: 
  1. "How can I praise God because of what this Scripture teaches?" Keller said Luther might list 20 reasons for praising the Lord off of one passage.
  2. "How am I sinning in light of this truth?"
  3. "What do I need to ask God for in light of this passage?"

For example, the other morning, I read Psalm 48 and used Psalm 48:14 as my meditation, which says, "For such is our God, our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death." I used Luther’s three questions to think more carefully about our eternal God as our guide. 

How can I praise Him? I can praise Him because…

  1. His guidance for our entire lives shows His faithfulness.
  2. Our God who guides us means that He is personally involving Himself in the details of my life.
  3. As my guide, He always leads on the right path, no matter how dark. He doesn't get lost.
  4. As my guide, He is always with me.
  5. As my guide, He is leading the way and going before me, giving light to my path.
  6. As my guide, He knows the way. I do not, but He knows where He is leading me.
  7. His guidance, in its longevity, gives assurance because He will be my guide until my eyes close in death and awaken in eternity.
  8. As my guide, He points out the dangers and pitfalls along the way, through the guidance of His Word.
  9. As my guide, He shares His provisions with me, the abundance of good and bountiful blessings in Christ.
  10. He brings me into the secret places of His presence (Psalm 31:20). 

How am I sinning?

  1. When I do not follow His guidance, or rely on Him alone, or follow the steps of obedience He has made clear to me (I am being more general here, but encourage more specificity when it is between you and the Lord).
  2. When I do not ask His will and direction for particular situations.
  3. When I do not trust and rest in Him knowing the path I'm on is from His hand and I have been led here and continue to be led by Him.
  4. When I grumble and complain along the way--showing my rebellion at His leading.
  5. When I try and escape the path He has chosen.
  6. When I question His leading with an angry heart.

What do I need to ask God for?

  1. Trust in His guidance.
  2. Clear guidance for the things in my life. (list specifics)
  3. A joyful attitude of acceptance for my current situation.
  4. Attentiveness to His guidance to avoid the pitfalls and dangers.

This is just a sample of how it might look to work through the three questions and, by no means, a perfect example. There are many more questions a believer could ask to help himself think carefully about the Word he has read and studied, but these three are a good starting point. At first, it may not seem easy or profitable. But a mind and heart saturated with the Scriptures because the Scriptures have been deeply contemplated will produce the effects that the psalmist experienced and Jesus portrayed for us in the Scriptures. Do you want to imitate our Savior? Do you want the aroma of Christ to be what others see, hear, and experience from you? Do you want to be governed by the attitude of our Savior? Then begin to incorporate biblical meditation and use this means of grace to affect your heart and your will with the truth. 

Let’s pray through Psalm 119:97-104 to have hearts and minds saturated with the truth and for it to produce in us a holy life.

Resources:

119:97-98 Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. 
Father, we pray:
▫️We would love Your law and give ourselves to the reading, studying, and meditating of it.
▫️We would be like the psalmist who meditated on Your law day and night and was like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in its season, and whose leaves do not wither. And in all that we do we would prosper (Psalm1:2-3).
▫️You would make us wise through Your Word. 
▫️Your words would be ever with us. As we learn to meditate on Your Word, Your Spirit would keep it ever before us, and we would order our lives according to it.

119:99-100 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. 
Father, we pray:
▫️We would have understanding and You would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, and the eyes of our heart would be enlightened (Ephesians 1:17-18).
▫️Meditation upon Your Word would lead to a life of obedience to You.

119:101-102 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. 
Father, we pray:
▫️Knowing and meditating on Your Word would increase our self-control and submission to the Spirit so that we would restrain our feet from every evil way. 
▫️We would humble ourselves and pray that You would teach us Your ways so that we would stand firm and not turn aside from Your rules. 

119:103-104 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
Father, we pray: 
▫️The more we give ourselves to meditating on Your Word, the more we would love Your Word and experience it as a delight to our souls. 
▫️Your Word would be sweeter to us than anything else this world has to offer. We would give ourselves diligently to the gift of Your Word.
▫️As we feast on Your Word and graduate from milk to solid food, we would through practice be able to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14), and we would hate every false way, especially in ourselves. 

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All right reserved.

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Photo credit to yanu.

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