All night and today (with a terrible migraine!) I meditated on Psalm 37:11: The meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in abundant peace. I spent some time thinking about the word “meek.” It means humble, poor, afflicted, and downcast. I considered how God reserves a special blessing for the meek, and in Christ, they always enjoy abundant peace. With a migraine, I did feel rather meek, so I recited the verse over and over gain. As I read the Hebrew words for this verse, it seemed like it read that the afflicted will nevertheless take possession of or seize the earth. I reasoned that the meek, because of God’s power them, take possession of whatever enemy territory lies before them. They have power, authority, and dominance because of Jesus. They go forth and live in the shalom peace God promises those who depend on Him.
Jesus reiterates this in Matthew 5:5 when He says “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Isaiah, too, promises something for the meek: “The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.”
I love thinking about this word “meek.” In the Outline of Biblical Usage (Larry Pierce), I read this about being meek: “Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time. Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God’s goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will.“
I would like to grow in meekness and delight myself in abundant peace.