What Does the Bible Say About Meditation?

Joshua 1:8 ESV / 49 helpful votes

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalm 1:2 ESV / 33 helpful votes

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 19:14 ESV / 32 helpful votes

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Philippians 4:8 ESV / 19 helpful votes

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Psalm 119:15 ESV / 19 helpful votes

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

Psalm 104:34 ESV / 18 helpful votes

May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.

Proverbs 4:20-22 ESV / 16 helpful votes

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.

Psalm 119:97 ESV / 16 helpful votes

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 49:3 ESV / 16 helpful votes

My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

Psalm 119:1-176 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ...

Matthew 6:6 ESV / 10 helpful votes

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV / 9 helpful votes

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Psalm 119:148 ESV / 9 helpful votes

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.

Psalm 119:11 ESV / 9 helpful votes

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 1:1-6 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; ...

Psalm 119:97-99 ESV / 8 helpful votes

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. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:48 ESV / 8 helpful votes

I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.

Psalm 4:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

1 Timothy 4:15 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

Psalm 143:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes

I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

Psalm 77:10-12 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.

Psalm 63:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

When I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

1 Timothy 4:13-15 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

Philippians 4:13 ESV / 6 helpful votes

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

John 1:14 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Psalm 119:78 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

Psalm 119:59 ESV / 5 helpful votes

When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies;

Psalm 119:55 ESV / 5 helpful votes

I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.

Psalm 119:23 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.

Psalm 119:16 ESV / 5 helpful votes

I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Psalm 63:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Psalm 39:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:

Genesis 24:63 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Psalm 119:9-11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Psalm 139:18 ESV / 3 helpful votes

If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Psalm 139:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 77:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

Psalm 73:12-22 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, ...

Job 1:1-22 ESV / 1 helpful vote

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. ...

Bible Verses about Meditation