Meditating on Scripture is probably one of the most rewarding things a person can do. When you spend time with God in His Word your entire perspective on things change.

Recently, I have been going through one of those “phases”. With everything going on with the pandemic, the political craziness, the increase of lawlessness, and just life in general, a feeling of loneliness was settling heavy on my heart. A spiritual war was intensifying on the battlefield of my mind. I knew the only things that would win the battle would be the arsenal of the Word and a renewing of my mind.

I made a big mistake this year and did not have a study plan in place by January. I read the Word every day, but this year the plan was haphazard at best. I love the Word. I love seeing the story unfold and I absolutely love meditating on it. But these past few months, I seemed to have just drifted. Funny, how that happens. You just seem to drift and before you know it, you are not where you know you need to be.

Then one day, as I was putting things away and battling things in my mind, I glanced at the bulletin board in my home office and I see Psalm 121.1. I don’t remember when I actually wrote this, but God knew I would need it soon!

That one Scripture changed everything! I still have to fight the battle. The weapon I am using is meditating on Psalm 121; memorizing it, and letting the Holy Spirit recall other Scriptures that are hidden in my heart that strengthen my resolve to be the victor in the battle. The more I meditate on Psalm 121, the more the battle changes in my favor.

Not only is it renewing my mind, it is renewing my heart as well!

The next few posts on A Heart After Him, will be how God is renewing my mind with the washing of His Word. It’s a personal journey but you are welcome to come along.

Part 1

Theme

Two of the keys to effective Bible Study and effective meditating are to pay attention to the words and pay special attention to repetitions. You look for the theme

These eight verses pack a mighty wallop and the theme is obvious in one Hebrew word, shamar (שמר).  In this Psalm, the NIV translates the Hebrew word shamar (to keep, guard, watch over, attend to carefully) as watch. Other versions translate as keep, but really, any of the translated words reveal and mean the same thing and each brings its own powerful impact. More on this in the study of each verse in following posts.

“He watches” is mentioned five times in eight verses. Four times it says either “watches over you” or watches over your”.

In every verse it says things he will do or something that he is to you: He will not let your foot slip; He is your shade, he is my help. We see that He will not let the sun or moon harm (representing the dangers in the day and night.) Verse seven says he keeps us from all harm (evil).

The theme for Psalm 121 is that God watches over us, He guides us and He protects us from everything,  around the clock and He will never stop!

A song of ascents.