repetitio est mater studiorum - Emily Woodard
Despite the many Google results for Zig Ziglar, I’m guessing the origin of the phrase “repetition is the mother of learning” goes back quite a bit earlier. Even if it’s not a phrase you’ve used recently, its meaning is readily apparent. None of us would have learned the alphabet or multiplication tables without repetition. Memorizing Bible verses demands repeating them over and over. Many of our daily physical activities required repetition during the learning process in order to develop muscle memory. And muscle toning and building are also processes that use repetition in order to produce results. My husband and I occasionally (jokingly) mimic a fitness instructor who explained an exercise and then excitedly exclaimed “And repeat, and repeat, and repeat!”
In literature, repetition is used for emphasis, to highlight the importance of something the author wishes to convey. Paul draws attention to his use of repetition in Philippians 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (v. 4, emphasismine). Luke is less explicit about his use of repetition in the book of Acts, but it isn’t without purpose, so it is interesting to consider why he includes the account of Paul’s conversion three times (chs. 9, 22, 26).
Psalm 121 is one of my favorite examples of repetition in Scripture. In the span of just 8 verses, the Lord is described once as “your keeper”, twice as “he who keeps…”, and three times in a row as the one who “will keep…” (ESV). One might be tempted to ask why the psalmist couldn’t have used more variety. Some English translations actually seem to assume more variety was intended and translate the same word in various ways (watches over, protect, guard, and keep are all used in the NASB). And though the use of synonyms can also serve as repetitive emphasis, it may obscure the psalmist’s intentional choice to use the same word, well, repeatedly. In fact, the amount of times the word is used suggests that he might be doing more than literarily emphasizing God’s role as our keeper. Calvin picks up on this in his commentary of Psalm 121, writing that it is important to “mark the reason why the Prophet repeats so often what he had briefly and in one word expressed with sufficient plainness.” He goes on to explain,
“Such repetition seems at first sight superfluous; but when we consider how difficult it is to correct our distrust, it will be easily perceived that he does not improperly dwell upon the commendation of the divine providence. How few are to be found who yield to God the honor of being a keeper, in order to their being thence assured of their safety, and led to call upon him in the midst of their perils! On the contrary, even when we seem to have largely experienced what this protection of God implies, we yet instantly tremble at the noise of a leaf falling from a tree, as if God had quite forgotten us. Being then entangled in so many unholy misgivings, and so much inclined to distrust, we are taught from the passage that if a sentence couched in a few words does not suffice us, we should gather together whatever may be found throughout the whole Scriptures concerning the providence of God, until this doctrine-” That God always keeps watch for us” — is deeply rooted in our hearts; so that depending upon his guardianship alone we may bid adieu to all the vain confidences of the world.” {1}
Calvin seems to be saying that the author’s use of repetition in Psalm 121 is meant to help us learn more than just an important fact. It appears designed with the purpose of producing something in us akin to muscle memory. For, there is a difference between knowing that God is the one who keeps us, and remembering to trust in that fact when a crisis appears. And as Calvin points out, it doesn’t even need to be that big of a crisis to reveal our failure to remember what we know, such is our inclination towards distrust.
Is it hard for you to trust in God’s providence when circumstances change and life takes unexpected turns? Is your first instinct to remember that God always keeps watch for you? If not, Psalm 121 can help. Read it today. And repeat, and repeat, and repeat!
{1} You can read John Calvin’s commentary at https://ccel.org/study/Ps_121 Be sure to select Calvin as the resource in the top right corner. This will probably look much different on a mobile device.