This does not exclusively involve giving the Bible one’s undivided attention but includes prayerfully musing over some aspect of Scripture that comes to mind as one goes about everyday activities such as driving, waking at night, talking with fellow believers, and so on:

Psalm 119:97-99 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long . Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.

(Emphasis mine.)

English translations of the biblical Hebrew often use the term meditation. It is unfortunate that over recent decades the common meaning of that word has dramatically changed, due primarily to the influence of Indian religion. It would be way off track to confuse what the Bible means with a biblically foreign practice originating from a different religion and now, in western circles, subjected to efforts to secularize it.

In fact, the two are virtually opposites. Whereas eastern meditation comes close to stopping oneself from thinking – disengaging the mind – the Bible is referring to rigorously applying the mind, as one might in an eager effort to win a chess game that lasts for days, or a perplexing or fascinating problem that one’s mind keeps returning to throughout the day in an effort to find a solution. Moreover, the object of that prolonged thought is to discover the meaning and full implications of something written in Scripture. It is applying an enquiring mind to the Word of God.

What the Lord is referring to is perhaps clearest in this passage:

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

(Emphasis mine.)

Note also:

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night . . .

(Emphasis mine.)

In fact, the word is so close in meaning to talking that the word translated meditate in Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2 is used specifically in Job 27:4; Psalm 35:28; Psalm 37:30; Psalm 71:24; Psalm 115:7; Proverbs 8:7; Isaiah 59:3 to what the organs of speech (tongue, mouth or throat) do. For example, in “My tongue will speak . . .” (Psalm 35:28), the word translated speak is the very word usually translated meditate in Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2.

Meditating when alone is like having an inner discussion with oneself and with God about some aspect of Scripture. I would be wrong, however, to leave anyone with the impression that biblical meditation is headache material. It is also like a lover who finds himself daydreaming about the woman who thrills him. Note in the following how meditation flows from sheer delight:

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Emphasis mine.)

Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Note also:<

Job 23:12  . . . I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Psalm 119:72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Psalm 119:127 Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold

Psalm 119:16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation

Here are still more indications that our Lord expects us to go far beyond mere reading of Scripture:

Deuteronomy 11:18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Job 22:22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart . . .

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you

Proverbs 4:4 . . . Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

(Emphasis mine.)

This is a lifelong project:

Deuteronomy 17:19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees