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Tips for Memorizing Scripture

Tips for Memorizing Scripture

Posted by Dave & Katie

November 24, 2021

While today we have nearly instant access to God’s word, either through a printed version of the Bible or a phone app, it’s still important to practice the discipline of scripture memorization. After all, this will ensure the words of God are imprinted on our hearts, so we can recall them at a moment’s notice throughout our day.

The Bible states in Psalm 119:11, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you,” in Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night…” and in Matthew 4:4 “but He answered, ‘It is written, ‘man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God,’” which showcases the importance of memorizing scripture.

These scriptures indicate the importance of memorizing scripture and having them be part of your daily thought process and meditation. Consider the following tips for how to go about committing scripture to memory.

Start With Key Verses

When you first begin the practice of memorizing scripture, it’s important to start small. In other words, don’t begin by trying to memorize lengthy and complex scriptures like those found in some of the books of the law. Instead, aim for concise, easy-to-memorize passages. Once you get them memorized, you can move on to more hefty passages. Here are a few of the best scriptures to memorize to get you started:

John 3:16 Verse

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in His name will not perish but have eternal life.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Bible Memory App

If you love utilizing digital tools, one way to help yourself memorize scripture is by installing a Bible memory app right to your phone. This will give you the tools of memorization literally in the palm of your hand. While there is nothing wrong with paper and pen—as you will see in the next tip—much of today’s media is formatted digitally. Therefore, Bible memory apps are a great way to begin the discipline of scripture memorization, no matter how much time you have to devote to the process. You can use tools like memory apps during any downtime you have between commitments. This makes Bible memory apps an ideal tool for the modern Christian to utilize.

Write in a Journal

It has been scientifically proven that we remember or recall facts more often when we write them down when compared to merely hearing them or reading them. The act of writing it down commits the thought to memory that you can’t duplicate any other way. This is why it is utilized so often in school to learn various facts. So, even in this digital age, which also has its benefits and allows you to bypass the printed version of the word, it’s still immensely helpful to take pen to paper and write out the actual passages you want to memorize.

Pray About It

Pray About It

Living a life committed to God isn’t just hard on our own, it’s impossible. The only way to truly succeed in this endeavor is to live for Christ with His indwelling and help. We can’t go it alone. We also can’t hope to get much out of scripture memorization if we don’t ask God to help us with the process. Pray and ask for help as you seek to commit scripture to memory and also ask that God help you see how to apply what you are memorizing in practical ways throughout your day.

Research The Text

The Bible is made up of passages that date back thousands of years, and they were originally in languages other than English. This means that some words have lost a bit of their meaning throughout the decades and among the many translations. Therefore, when delving deep into scripture to memorize it, another great habit to get into is researching the text or words themselves. Look up what the root word means and what it would have been saying in the context of its original language. In many cases, you will find a verse takes on a whole new meaning or teaches an entirely different lesson than you originally considered. In addition, the Biblical Hebrew that makes up much of the Biblical language has words with various meanings. It’s also important to consider whether the words are active or passive as it can change the meaning of a verse.

Use it Daily

Finally, in order to begin the disciple of scripture memorization, make sure you do it daily. As with anything in life, practice will only make you better and the act of committing scriptures to memory is no exception. Create a daily habit that involves scripture memorization in some way and then quiz yourself regularly to ensure that you have truly learned the words of God, and it has become part of your inner dialog.

Memorizing Scripture is Important

John 3:16 Shirt

Put the tips listed above on how to memorize scripture into practice to begin committing scripture to memory. This is a good discipline to get into as a Christian and one that pays large dividends over time as you grow closer to God. You can also consider purchasing from Love in Faith and choosing a shirt that features your favorite verses. This is yet another way to reinforce scripture to your memory and make it become almost second nature.