Is it okay for Christians to "meditate"? (119:27)
27
Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.
Psalms 119:27
ESV - 27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
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Asked September 20 2020
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Jack Gutknecht
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Grant Abbott
Philippians 4:8-9 is a perfect example of Christian meditation. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” To think about these things is meditation.
Tim Maas
In one sense, "meditate" is a neutral word that simply means to think deeply about, or consciously focus one's mind or thoughts on, a given subject. (Various translations of verses in the Bible using the Hebrew word (anglicized as "siach") contained in the verse cited in the question render it as "muse on", "speak of", "talk of", or "reflect on".) To me, there would be no impediment to a Christian meditating in that sense on Bible passages/truths. Meditation can also occur as a specific spiritual ritual or discipline as part of multiple religions, and especially of Eastern religions -- particularly those originating in India, such as Hinduism or Buddhism. As far as I am aware, the practice of meditation by those religions involves prescribed steps or rituals that go beyond the neutral meaning of the word, and that are specific to each faith. As I perceive it, the essential differences between Christianity and those other religions with respect to meditation is that those religions view meditation as a means of achieving spiritual insight that can be gained by no other means, whereas Christianity is a religion that focuses on revelation and truth provided to humanity by God that could not have been gained by any other means -- and particularly not by purely human thought, which is universally (not just for Christians) tainted by sin.
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