The Work and Way of Meditation
W. Bridge, M. A. Psalm 104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. I. IT IS OUR WORK AND DUTY TO MEDITATE ON GOD AND THE THINGS OF GOD. Wicked men are blamed that God is not in all their thoughts (Psalm 10:4). Good and holy men are commended and rewarded for this (Malachi 16, 17). It is our duty to praise the Lord. Not only to be thankful to God upon the account of benefits received, but to praise the Lord upon the account of His own excellencies. And how should the heart be tuned and framed unto this praising of God, but by meditation on the name and nature and titles of God? (Psalm 48:1). How doth he tune his heart to this praise? "We have thought of Thy lovingkindness, O God." II. THIS WORK OF MEDITATION IS EVERY MAN'S WORK, IT IS EVERY DAY'S WORK, AND IT IS THAT WORK THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH EVERY BUSINESS AND CONDITION. 1. It is every man's work. (1) It is the work of the wicked, for it is their first step to conversion. (2) It is the work of the godly. For, either he is weak or strong. If weak, he has need of it that he may be strengthened; if strong, that he may be quickened. If a beginner, he ought to meditate, that he may proceed; if a proficient, that he may be perfect; if perfect with Gospel perfection, that he may hold on his perfection. 2. It is every day's work. Is the Sabbath Day unfit for it? No; there is a prayer for the Sabbath (Psalm 92), to meditate on the works of God. Is the week day unfit for this work of meditation? No. The Sabbath Day is our market day; and then after we have bought our market on the Sabbath, we should roast it by meditation on the week. We do not go to the market on the market day, to buy meat into the house only for the market day, but for all the time until the market day comes about again. 3. As it is every day's work, so it is that work that is consistent with every business and with every condition: a garment that will fit the back of every condition. What dunghill condition, but this flower of meditation may grow thereupon? III. WHAT HELP OR WHAT MEANS TO THIS WORK OF MEDITATION? 1. Be very sensible of your want, and of your neglect herein. 2. Labour more and more for a serious spirit. 3. A fixed spirit. 4. Intenseness of affection. 5. If you would indeed meditate on God and the things of God, be sure that you lay out such objects as may give entertainment to your thoughts. For if there be no corn in the quern, what grinding will there be? 6. If you would meditate on God and the things of God, strengthen your love and delight; for meditation grows upon the stalk of love and delight: and the more a man doth love God and the things of God, the more he meditates thereon. 7. Labour to get a deep impression of the things of God upon your heart and souls. 8. Take heed that your hearts and your hands be not too full of the world, and the employments thereof. 9. Go to God for this skill of meditation. IV. HOW SHOULD THIS WORK OF MEDITATION BE CARRIED ON WITH SWEETNESS AND SUCCESS? 1. In all your retirements be sure that you retire into God Himself. 2. Take heed that you be not legal in this work. 3. Be sure of this, that nothing fall within the compass of your meditation, but what falls within the compass of the Scripture. 4. In all your settled meditation, begin with reading or hearing. Go on with meditation; end in prayer. For as Mr. Greenham saith well: Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both, is without blessing. 5. If you would have this work of meditation carried on with profit and sweetness, join with your meditation the examination of your own souls. 6. Observe what those times and seasons are that are most fit for meditation, and be sure you lay hold thereon. 7. Though there is a great deal of profit and sweetness to be found in this work of meditation, and it is every day's work, yet take heed that you do not so meditate on one of God's excellencies as to neglect another; nor so spend your whole time in the work of meditation, that this work of meditation should eat up other duties: God would have us rise from this work of meditation, as from any other duty, with a hungry appetite. (W. Bridge, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. WEB: Let your meditation be sweet to him. I will rejoice in Yahweh.