Day 3: Meditate

Chew on This

Not too long ago I decided it wise for my life to “chew” on the Word, so today’s assignment to meditate on scripture wasn’t something new to me, but it was a wonderful reminder!

What’s great about memorizing scripture is that it allows us to also pray it. When we are lost for words, God has plenty. When we are unsure of what to pray, God has a prayer.

Ironically, after reading today’s section, I opened my bible—The Message translation—and literally fumbled upon Psalm 119, the very scripture quoted today. I couldn’t help but notice that not only did it truly follow what the lesson was about today, but it also spoke directly to me concerning some personal things that are going on in my life.

I copied the Psalm from biblegateway.com and wanted to share The Message version with You. I chopped it up a bit, but by doing so, it becomes a brilliant, beautiful prayer to “meditate” on today. Personalize it. Pray it. Know it. Live it.

I am blessed when I stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
I am blessed when I follow his directions,
doing my best to find Him.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
I thank You for speaking straight from Your heart;
I learn the pattern of Your righteous ways.
I'm going to do what You tell me to do;
How can I live a clean life?
By carefully reading the map of Your Word.
I'm single-minded in pursuit of You;
don't let me miss the road signs You've posted.
I've banked Your promises in the vault of my heart
Train me in Your ways of wise living.
I delight far more in what You tell me about living
than in gathering a pile of riches.
I ponder every morsel of wisdom from You,
I attentively watch how You've done it.
I relish everything You've told me of life,
I won't forget a word of it.

Be generous with me and I'll live a full life;
not for a minute will I take my eyes off Your road.

Open my eyes so I can see what You show me
of Your miracle-wonders.
Give me clear directions.
My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!—
insatiable for Your nourishing commands.
I've been careful to do just what You said.
I'm absorbed in pondering Your wise counsel.
Yes, Your sayings on life are what give me delight;

I'm feeling terrible—I couldn't feel worse!
Get me on my feet again. You promised, remember?
Train me well in Your deep wisdom.
Help me understand these things inside and out
so I can ponder Your miracle-wonders.
Build me up again by Your Word.
Grace me with Your clear revelation.
I choose the true road to Somewhere,
I post Your road signs at every curve and corner.
I grasp and cling to whatever You tell me;
God, don't let me down!
I'll run the course You lay out for me
if You'll just show me how.

God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.
Give me insight so I can do what You tell me—
my whole life one long, obedient response.
Guide me down the road of Your commandments;
Affirm Your promises to me—promises made to all who fear You.
What You say is always so good.
Preserve my life through Your righteous ways!

Let Your love, God, shape my life with salvation,
exactly as You promised;
Don't ever deprive me of truth, not ever—
Your commandments are what I depend on.
I'll guard with my life what You've revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever;
I cherish Your commandments—oh, how I love them!—
relishing every fragment of Your counsel.

Your promises rejuvenate me.
I set Your instructions to music and sing them
as I walk this pilgrim way.
I meditate on Your name all night, God,
treasuring Your revelation, O God.
I live by Your Word and counsel.

Because You have satisfied me, God,
I promise to do everything You say.
I beg You from the bottom of my heart:
smile, be gracious to me just as You promised.
No for a minute did I forget Your plan for me.
I get up in the middle of the night to thank You;
Your decisions are so right, so true—I can't wait till morning!
I'm a friend and companion of all who fear You,
of those committed to living by Your rules.
Your love, God, fills the earth!
Train me to live by Your counsel.

Be good to Your servant, God; be as good as Your Word.
Train me in good common sense;
I'm thoroughly committed to living Your way.
I'm in step with Your Word.
You are good, and the source of good;
train me in Your goodness.
I focus my attention on what You are saying;
I dance to the tune of Your revelation.
Truth from Your mouth means more to me
than striking it rich in a gold mine.

With Your very own hands You formed me;
now breathe Your wisdom over me so I can understand You.
I can see now, God, that Your decisions are right;
Your testing has taught me what's true and right.
Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight!
 just the way You promised.
Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
Your revelation is the tune I dance to.
Let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
so I can always walk with my head held high.

I'm waiting for Your word of hope.
I keep a steady gaze on the instructions You post.
Everything You command is a sure thing.
In Your great love revive me
so I can alertly obey Your every word.

What You say goes, God, and stays,
as permanent as the heavens.
Your truth never goes out of fashion;
it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.
Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that's what You ordered—
You set the earth going.
I'll never forget the advice You gave me;
You saved my life with those wise words.
Save me! I'm all Yours.
I look high and low for Your words of wisdom.
I'm only concerned with Your plans for me.
I see the limits to everything human,
but the horizons can't contain Your commands!

Oh, how I love all You've revealed;
I reverently ponder it all the day long.
I've become wiser than the wise old sages
simply by doing what You tell me.
I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil
so I can spend all my time keeping Your Word.
I never make detours from the route You laid out;
You gave me such good directions.
Your words are so choice, so tasty;
I prefer them to the best home cooking.
With Your instruction, I understand life.

By Your words I can see where I'm going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I've committed myself and I'll never turn back
from living by Your righteous order.
Festoon me with Your finest sayings, God;
teach me Your holy rules.
I inherited Your book on living; it's mine forever—
what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what You say—
I always have and always will.

I love Your clear-cut revelation.
You're my place of quiet retreat;
I wait for Your Word to renew me.
Take my side as You promised; I'll live then for sure.
 Don't disappoint all my grand hopes.
Stick with me and I'll be all right;
I'll give total allegiance to Your definitions of life.
I lovingly embrace everything You say.
I shiver in awe before You;
Your decisions leave me speechless with reverence.

Take the side of Your servant, good God;
Let Your love dictate how You deal with me;
teach me from Your textbook on life.
I'm Your servant—help me understand what that means,
the inner meaning of Your instructions.

Yea-Saying God, I love what You command,
I love it better than gold and gemstones;
Yea-Saying God, I honor everything You tell me,
I despise every deceitful detour.

Every word You give me is a miracle word—
how could I help but obey?
Turn my way, look kindly on me,
as You always do to those who personally love You.
Steady my steps with Your Word of promise
so nothing malign gets the better of me.
Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women
so I can live life Your way.
Smile on me, Your servant; teach me the right way to live.

You are right and You do right, God;
Your decisions are right on target.
You rightly instruct us in how to live ever faithful to You.
Your promise has been tested through and through,
and I, Your servant, love it dearly.
Your righteousness is eternally right,
Your revelation is the only truth.
The way You tell me to live is always right;
help me understand it so I can live to the fullest.

I call out at the top of my lungs, "God! Answer! I'll do whatever You say."
I called to You, "Save me so I can carry out all Your instructions."
I was up before sunrise, crying for help, hoping for a word from You.
I stayed awake all night, prayerfully pondering Your promise.
In Your love, listen to me; in Your justice, God, keep me alive.
You're the closest of all to me, God, and all Your judgments true.

Take my side and get me out of this;
give me back my life, just as You promised.
Your mercies, God, run into the billions;
following Your guidelines, revive me.
I don't swerve from the directions You gave.
Take note of how I love what You tell me;
out of Your life of love, prolong my life.
Your words all add up to the sum total: Truth.
Your righteous decisions are eternal.

I'm ecstatic over what You say, like one who strikes it rich.
I love what You have revealed.
Seven times each day I stop and shout praises
for the way You keep everything running right.
For those who love what You reveal, everything fits.
I wait expectantly for Your salvation;
God, I do what You tell me.
My soul guards and keeps all Your instructions—
oh, how much I love them!
I follow Your directions, abide by Your counsel;
my life's an open book before You.

Let my cry come right into Your presence, God;
provide me with the insight that comes only from Your Word.
Give my request Your personal attention,
rescue me on the terms of Your promise.
Let praise cascade off my lips; after all,
You've taught me the truth about life!
And let Your promises ring from my tongue;
every order You've given is right.
Put Your hand out and steady me since I've chosen to live by Your counsel.
I'm homesick, God, for Your salvation;
I love it when You show Yourself!
Invigorate my soul so I can praise You well,
use Your decrees to put iron in my soul.
And should I wander off like a lost sheep—seek me!
I'll recognize the sound of Your voice.