Tips for Memorizing Scripture

Do you find memorizing Scripture difficult? To be honest, I find it a little more difficult the older I get.

But memorizing Scripture is SO important for our faith. I have found that God brings Scripture to mind when I’m discouraged or when I’m tempted to sin. I also like to pray using Scripture.

We also must keep in mind that Satan, the adversary of God, also knows Scripture. And his favorite game is to twist it for his evil purposes. We see this in the garden with Eve in Genesis 3 as well as when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in Matthew 4.

Knowing Scripture and hiding in our hearts is essential.

But what are some tips for memorizing Scripture? Here are five that I have found SUPER helpful over my years. I hope they will encourage you as well.

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5 Tips for Memorizing Scripture

1. Learn it through song or chant.

So many of the great hymns as well as some of the praise choruses out of the 80’s and 90’s were straight Scripture. Seeds Family Worship CD’s are also straight Scripture verses. I find that these songs often pop into my head and I’m humming or singing Scripture. I also mark my Bible with a little music note when I find them in my readings.

To create your own song, just think of a familiar tune like “Mary Had a Little Lamb” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and fit the words into the tune.

If you’re not the musical type, you can practice learning the verses to a chant or to a rhythm/beat. I would sometimes do this with AWANA verses years ago. Older kids could even try it for themselves using a familiar tune.

 

2. Create motions to the key words in the verse.

When more of your body is involved with the memorizing, it’s a little easier to remember.

I find it helpful to find the key words of the verse that unlock its meaning and then create motions for those words. This was particularly helpful when we were memorizing the beatitudes from Matthew 5 earlier this school year. The motions helped all of us remember the order of the passage.

3. Study the passage to understand the context and word meanings. 

Don’t just read the single verse. Read the entire passage so you can understand the context of the verse. It can be too tempting to take a verse out of its context and then make it mean what we want it to mean rather than what God really meant.

For kids, it’s super helpful to define the words in the verse. For example, words like humility, sanctify, or meek may be words our kids {even middle school or high school} may not know.

I find that once I explain the key words and use real life examples, it’s helpful to then ask, “What does humility mean to you? Can you use your words to define it? Can you give me any other examples?”

If you want to dig even deeper into word meanings, it can be helpful to use a tool like the Blue Letter Bible {they also have a free app} or purchase a Key Word Study Bible to look up the Greek or Hebrew key words in the verse or passage.

 

4. Write it down and display it in a prominent place.

I have found it super helpful for me to write the verse down and then display it somewhere so I’ll see it and say if often. For me, this includes in my kitchen, by my computer, or on my bathroom mirror. If writing isn’t your thing, you could even type it up and print it off.

The key is finding a place where you will see it and say it often.

 

5. Memorize Scripture with others.

Find a group of others you can memorize Scripture with. My kids and I memorize one verse a week together. Sometimes, we challenge ourselves to memorize longer passages. But just like I ask them to recite it, they challenge me to recite the verses as well. Accountability helps tremendously.

 

Do you have any helpful tips you would add to the list? Feel free to leave a comment to encourage others!

 

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Enjoy memorizing His Word!
~Becky