Luther on Meditation and Prayer

I want to point out to you a correct way of studying theology, for I have had practice in that…. This is the way taught by holy King David (and doubtlessly used also by all the patriarchs and prophets) in the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm. There you will find three rules, amply presented in the whole Psalm. They are Oratio [prayer], Meditatio [meditation], Tentatio [temptation].


Firstly, you should know that the Holy Scriptures constitute a book which turns the wisdom of all other books into foolishness, because not one teaches about eternal life except this one alone. Therefore you should straightway despair of your own reason and understanding. With them you will not attain eternal life, but, on the contrary, your presumptuousness will plunge you and others with you out of heaven (as happened to Lucifer) into the abyss of hell. But kneel down in your little room [Matt. 6:6] and pray to God with real humility and earnestness, that he through his dear Son may give you his Holy Spirit, who will enlighten you, lead you, and give you understanding.


Thus you see how David keeps praying in the above-mentioned Psalm [119], Teach me, Lord, instruct me, lead me, show me,” and many more words like these. Although he will knew and daily heard and read the text of Moses and other books besides, still he wants to lay hold of the real teacher of the Scriptures himself, so that he may not seize upon them pell-mell with his reason and become his own teacher. For such practice gives rise to factious spirits who allow themselves to nurture the delusion that the Scriptures are subject to them and can be easily grasped with their reason, as if they were the tales of Markolf or Aesop’s Fables, for which no Holy Spirit and no prayers are needed.


Secondly, you should meditate, that is, not only in your heart, but also externally, [by repeating the written words externally and rubbing them (like a herb for its flavor)], reading and rereading them with diligent attention and reflection, so that you may see what the Holy Spirit means by them….


Thus you see in this same Psalm [119] how David constantly boasts that he will talk, meditate, speak, sing, hear, read, by day and night and always, about nothing except God’s Word and commandments. For God will not give you his Spirit without the external Word; so take your cue from that. His command to write, preach, read, hear, sing, speak, etc., outwardly was not given in vain.


Thirdly, there is tentatio, Anfechtung [“an attack” or “an assault”]. This is the touchstone which teaches you not only to know and understand, but also to experience how right, how true, how sweet, how loely, how mighty, how comforting God’s Word is, wisdom beyond all wisdom.


Thus you see how David, in the Psalm mentioned, complaines so often about all kinds of enemies, arrogant princes or tyrants, false spirits and factions, whom he must tolerate because he meditates, that is, because he is occupied with God’s Word (as has been said) in all manner of ways. For as soon as God’s Word takes root and grows in you, the devil will harry you, and will make a real doctor [of theology] of you, and by his assaults will teach you to seek and love God’s Word.

-Martin Luther