The Hebrew word for “meditating” (הגה, hagah) on the LORD’s “instruction” (as in Josh 1:8 and Psa 1:2) includes reading aloud, as the verb literally means “to mutter.” We must keep in mind that silent reading is a relatively recent invention. So biblical meditation is not merely a mental exercise—it is, literally, a dramatic reading. Our first act of interpretation should be reading the passage aloud in a way that is appropriate to its contents and literary form (e.g., narrative dialogue, command,