The Basics of Meditating on Scripture · Day 2
Psalms 143:5-10 — a devotion
Psalms 143
- 5내가 옛날을 기억하고 주의 모든 행하신 것을 묵상하며 주의 손의 행사를 생각하고I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands.
- 6주를 향하여 손을 펴고 내 영혼이 마른 땅 같이 주를 사모하나이다(셀라)I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah.
- 7여호와여 속히 내게 응답하소서 내 영혼이 피곤하니이다 주의 얼굴을 내게서 숨기지 마소서 내가 무덤에 내려가는 자 같을까 두려워하나이다Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.Hurry to answer me, LORD. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.
- 8아침에 나로 주의 인자한 말씀을 듣게 하소서 내가 주를 의뢰함이니이다 나의 다닐 길을 알게 하소서 내가 내 영혼을 주께 받듦이니이다Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.
- 9여호와여 나를 내 원수들에게서 건지소서 내가 주께 피하여 숨었나이다Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.Deliver me, LORD, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.
- 10주는 나의 하나님이시니 나를 가르쳐 주의 뜻을 행케 하소서 주의 신이 선하시니 나를 공평한 땅에 인도하소서Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
KJV and World English Bible — Public Domain · 개역한글 ⓒ Korean Bible Society
Background
Psalm 143 is one of David's prayers and is traditionally counted among the seven penitential psalms. Written while David was being pursued by enemies, many scholars place its background in the period when he had to flee Jerusalem during Absalom's rebellion. The psalm divides broadly into two parts. In the first (verses 1-6), David pours out his distress and meditates on God's past deeds; in the second (verses 7-12), he offers specific petitions. The meditation in verse 5 serves as the turning point from the first part to the second. For David, meditation was both preparation for prayer and the foundation of his faith. In particular, the phrase "Your good Spirit" in verse 10 is a prayer asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance, an important verse that links meditation to the work of the Spirit.
Reflection questions: 1. Among the decisions or concerns before me right now, which ones need God's guidance? 2. Have you ever experienced the content or direction of your prayers changing after meditating on the word?
Today's reflection
In Psalm 143, David is being pursued by enemies, his soul crushed under the weight of it. In verse 5, David confesses that he remembers the days of old, meditates on all God's deeds, and muses on the work of His hands. In verse 6 he says he thirsts for God like a dry and weary land, expressing that his spiritual longing is as desperate as physical thirst.
Here, meditation is tied to the act of seeking God's direction in the midst of crisis. Through meditation, David prays in verse 8, "cause me to know the way wherein I should walk," and pleads in verse 10, "teach me to do Your will." Meditation is not mere recollection but the starting point of a prayer that seeks God's guidance. By meditating on God's past deeds, David found grounds to trust God even in his present darkness.
To put this in everyday terms, meditation is the process of finding direction within God's word when we stand at a crossroads. Just as we spread out a map to check the way, we read the word slowly and discern God's will. Rather than rushing to conclusions, it is important to linger long enough before the word.
When you have a decision to make or don't know which way to go, try — like David — to sit first before God's word. Meditation may not give you an answer right away, but it will become the first step in opening your heart toward God. What if you made David's prayer your own today, asking that God's good Spirit would lead you into level ground?
In the app
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