31 Bible Verses about Meditation

Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example],
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers).

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season;
Its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.

May my meditation be sweet and pleasing to Him;
As for me, I will rejoice and be glad in the Lord.

Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

Think over the things I am saying [grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you insight and understanding in everything.

I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate and thoughtfully focus on You in the night watches,

I will meditate on Your precepts
And [thoughtfully] regard Your ways [the path of life established by Your precepts].

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

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.

I will meditate on all Your works
And thoughtfully consider all Your [great and wondrous] deeds.

Great are the works of the Lord,
Studied by all those who delight in them.

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

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.

O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth!
You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens.

Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babes You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
That You might silence the enemy and make the revengeful cease.
When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have established,
read more.

What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,

All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

[You are the One] who covers Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain,

Who lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters [above the firmament],
Who makes the clouds His chariot,
Who walks on the wings of the wind,
read more.

Who makes winds His messengers,
Flames of fire His ministers.
He established the earth on its foundations,
So that it will not be moved forever and ever.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.

At Your rebuke they fled;
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.

The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.

You set a boundary [for the waters] that they may not cross over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.
You send springs into the valleys;
Their waters flow among the mountains.

They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst there.

Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests;
They lift up their voices and sing among the branches.

He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.
He causes grass to grow for the cattle,
And all that the earth produces for cultivation by man,
So that he may bring food from the earth—

And wine which makes the heart of man glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And bread to sustain and strengthen man’s heart.

The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He has planted,

Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the shephanim.

He made the moon for the seasons;
The sun knows the [exact] place of its setting.

You [O Lord] make darkness and it becomes night,
In which prowls about every wild beast of the forest.

The young lions roar after their prey
And seek their food from God.

When the sun arises, they withdraw
And lie down in their dens.

Man goes out to his work
And remains at his labor until evening.
O Lord, how many and varied are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your riches and Your creatures.

There is the sea, great and broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Creatures both small and great.

There the ships [of the sea] sail,
And Leviathan [the sea monster], which You have formed to play there.
They all wait for You
To give them their food in its appointed season.

You give it to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are filled and satisfied with good [things].

You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their breath, they die
And return to their dust.

You send out Your Spirit, they are created;
You renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice and be glad in His works—

He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

May my meditation be sweet and pleasing to Him;
As for me, I will rejoice and be glad in the Lord.

Go to the ant, O lazy one;
Observe her ways and be wise,

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life? And why are you worried about clothes? See how the lilies and wildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin [wool to make clothing], read more.
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory and splendor dressed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive and green today and tomorrow is [cut and] thrown [as fuel] into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the crop]; they have no storehouse or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add one hour to his life’s span? So if you are not even able to do a very little thing [such as that], why are you worried about the rest? read more.
Consider the lilies and wildflowers, how they grow [in the open field]. They neither labor nor spin [wool to make clothing]; yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory and splendor dressed himself like one of these.

My eyes anticipate the night watches and I awake before the call of the watchman,
That I may meditate on Your word.

I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my heart (mind) instructs me in the night.

Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song will be with me,
A prayer to the God of my life.

“Please receive the law and instruction from His mouth
And establish His words in your heart and keep them.

My heart was hot within me.
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:

Let the arrogant be ashamed and humiliated, for they sabotage me with a lie;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.

May those who fear You [with submissive wonder] turn to me,
Even those who have known Your testimonies.

May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,
So that I will not be ashamed. read more.
Kaph.
My soul languishes and grows weak for Your salvation;
I wait for Your word.

My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your promise,
Saying, “When will You comfort me?”

For I have become like a wineskin [blackened and shriveled] in the smoke [in which it hangs],
Yet I do not forget Your statutes.

How many are the days of Your servant [which he must endure]?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

The arrogant (godless) have dug pits for me,
Men who do not conform to Your law.

All Your commandments are faithful and trustworthy.
They have persecuted me with a lie; help me [Lord]!

They had almost destroyed me on earth,
But as for me, I did not turn away from Your precepts.

According to Your steadfast love refresh me and give me life,
So that I may keep and obey the testimony of Your mouth. Lamedh.
Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable].

Your faithfulness continues from generation to generation;
You have established the earth, and it stands [securely].

They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all things [all parts of the universe] are Your servants.

If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my time of trouble.

I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me and given me life.

I am Yours, save me [as Your own];
For I have [diligently] sought Your precepts and required them [as my greatest need].

The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.

I have seen that all [human] perfection has its limits [no matter how grand and perfect and noble];
Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity]. Mem.
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For Your words are always with me.

I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers [because of Your word],
For Your testimonies are my meditation.

I understand more than the aged [who have not observed Your precepts],
Because I have observed and kept Your precepts.

I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
That I may keep Your word.

I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,
For You Yourself have taught me.

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

From Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way. Nun.
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.

I am greatly afflicted;
Renew and revive me [giving me life], O Lord, according to Your word.

Accept and take pleasure in the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord,
And teach me Your ordinances.

My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.

The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I do not wander from Your precepts.

I have taken Your testimonies as a heritage forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end. Samekh.
I hate those who are double-minded,
But I love and treasure Your law.

You are my hiding place and my shield;
I wait for Your word.

Leave me, you evildoers,
That I may keep the commandments of my God [honoring and obeying them].

Uphold me according to Your word [of promise], so that I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my hope [in Your great goodness].

Uphold me that I may be safe,
That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.

You have turned Your back on all those who wander from Your statutes,
For their deceitfulness is useless.

You have removed all the wicked of the earth like dross [for they have no value];
Therefore I love Your testimonies.

My flesh trembles in [reverent] fear of You,
And I am afraid and in awe of Your judgments. Ayin.
I have done justice and righteousness;
Do not leave me to those who oppress me.

Be the guarantee for Your servant for good [as Judah was the guarantee for Benjamin];
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.

My eyes fail [with longing, watching] for [the fulfillment of] Your salvation,
And for [the fulfillment of] Your righteous word.

Deal with Your servant according to Your [gracious] lovingkindness,
And teach me Your statutes.

I am Your servant; give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart]
That I may know Your testimonies.

It is time for the Lord to act;
They have broken Your law.

Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold,
Yes, more than refined gold.

Therefore I esteem as right all Your precepts concerning everything;
I hate every false way. Pe.
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.

The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light;
Their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike).

I opened my mouth and panted [with anticipation],
Because I longed for Your commandments.

Turn to me and be gracious to me and show me favor,
As is Your way to those who love Your name.

Establish my footsteps in [the way of] Your word;
Do not let any human weakness have power over me [causing me to be separated from You].

Redeem me from the oppression of man;
That I may keep Your precepts.

Make Your face shine [with pleasure] upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.

My eyes weep streams of water
Because people do not keep Your law. Tsadhe.
Righteous are You, O Lord,
And upright are Your judgments.

You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness
And in great faithfulness.

My zeal has [completely] consumed me,
Because my enemies have forgotten Your words.

Your word is very pure (refined);
Therefore Your servant loves it.

I am small and despised,
But I do not forget Your precepts.

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
And Your law is truth.

Trouble and anguish have found me,
Yet Your commandments are my delight and my joy.

Your righteous testimonies are everlasting;
Give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] that I may live. Qoph.
I cried with all my heart; answer me, O Lord!
I will observe Your statutes.

I cried to You; save me
And I will keep Your testimonies.

I rise before dawn and cry [in prayer] for help;
I wait for Your word.

My eyes anticipate the night watches and I awake before the call of the watchman,
That I may meditate on Your word.

But Mary treasured all these things, giving careful thought to them and pondering them in her heart.

So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah. Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” read more.
Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading:

“Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.

“In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him].
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.” The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?” Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation].

Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.

O Lord, I remember Your name in the night,
And keep Your law.