How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
I want to seek God with my WHOLE HEART, and I do that best by feasting on His words for me! Here are my top tips for memorizing Bible verses:
Tips for learning scripture:
- Find it. Look up the scripture in your actual Bible. Read the full chapter and the verses directly before and after. Take an extra minute to note who wrote or spoke the passage, to whom, and why (use your study Bible or an online study tool if needed). My kids always groaned when I made them look up words in the actual dictionary… but there’s something powerful about moving our hands through the pages to help us place where a passage lies in scripture and begin to cement it in our brains.
- Mark it. Similar to looking it up, marking your Bible can give you hallmarks for where God spoke to you as well as help you remember what you read. Use a highlighter, pencil ruler, or non-bleeding pen to note the passage. Consider noting the date you read it as well.
- Read it aloud. Say the words out loud to yourself or to/with someone else. Repeat them three times, with the reference (aka “address”). Speaking and hearing God’s word brings in another sense, building on the memory process.
- Write it. Copy the verse one to three times a day when you’re learning it. Use the back side of your verse cards, additional lined cards, or a journal. Again, consider dating the work so you can refer back to God’s faithfulness with His word!
- Draw & Highlight. Consider using colored pens, pencils and highlighters again to mark the parts of the passage that stand out to you. Circle, draw arrows to make connections, and even doodle icons that remind you of what you’re reading. You don’t have to be a master artist, but your artwork will stand out in your mind and help you recall what you’re learning!
- Listen. Use a Bible app or ask someone to read the passage to you. See if you can say the scripture at the same time. Repeat this several times over the time you’re committing the passage to memory!
- Review. Keep that scripture in there… review it often! Once you’ve learned a passage, you can move it to the back of your deck. Once a week or more, review past sections and see if you can still remember them, along with the reference. Can’t remember a passage? Repeat the steps above!
My favorite tool for memorizing scripture:
I’m using these scripture memory tips with my disc bound Bible verse cards. (Are you interested in getting a set of these cards pre-made with themed verses? Leave a comment below so I can send you the info!)
Just a few more thoughts:
Take the “listen” idea to another level. Try tuning in to scripture-based songs like
- Sovereign Grace Music
- Seeds Family Worship (great for scripture memory with kids!)
- Shane and Shane Psalms
- Want more for the whole family? This list of scripture memory songs is incredible!
(On another note, this post from our former home church in Florida has some thoughts on why good theology, and sound scripture integrity, is important in our music!)
Memorizing scripture takes work, but it is work that transforms how we think and how we live. Memorizing the Bible brings us hope as we know God more intimately, and it reminds us how we are called to live.
What are your best tips for memorizing God’s word?
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