Getting Started with Scripture Memory

Let’s talk about scripture memory. To some people this is a long lost thing that people used to do way back in the day. To others, it is a practice that they did as a kid in Sunday school or youth group as the leaders put verses to song, but they haven’t engaged with it since then. And still to others, it seems rigid and legalistic.

To me, scripture memory is an essential part of my daily walk with the Lord.

It hasn’t always been that way though. Scripture memory was never something I spent a lot of time on until I got to college and became involved in the Navigators ministry on campus. It was there that I really heard scripture memory talked about and encouraged in our daily walk with the Lord.

At first I probably memorized verses because my leader told me to, but as I began hiding God’s Word in my heart, I saw the incredible impact it was having on my heart and actions. I was meditating on these verses throughout the day as I reviewed them and prayed over them. I was talking about them with others and my life was being transformed in my everyday moments as I went about my day. I was gazing at the beauty of God’s character more throughout the day.

Over the years, I’ve learned methods of memorizing and found ways that are most helpful for me. I’ve realized how much I love memorizing passages of scripture too, not just individual verses. The impact scripture memory has had on my life and walk with the Lord astounds me!

It is through having the Word of God memorized, that I can meditate on it day and night. Knowing God’s Word by memory gets me through the best of days and the hardest of moments. It draws me into communion with God throughout the day as I am reminded of His character, goodness, and commands. It shapes my prayer life and the way I talk about God to others throughout my day. But don’t just take my word for it…

What does the Bible say about why we should memorize scripture?

• We memorize in order to commune with God, meditate on His character, behold His glory, and be transformed into His likeness.

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

• As we delight in God’s Word day and night, God establishes us in Him as our firm foundation, and produces fruit in our lives.

“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. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

• The Word should be on our hearts and on our lips all throughout our day. How are we to do this unless we know what it says?

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7

• Having the Word of God on our hearts keeps us from sin and helps us to obey God.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua 1:8

• As the Word of Christ dwells in us, we can worship God together with thankful hearts!

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

• God’s Word helps us to overcome temptations and sin as we have it ready to apply in our hearts when tempting situations arise.

“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.” Psalm 119:9-11

• We can use these verses stored up in our hearts to encourage others and to share the gospel with those around us.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15

How to Get Started with Scripture Memory

1. Pray for a desire to know God deeply and for conviction to meditate on His Word day and night. Memorizing scripture is a spiritual discipline and spiritual disciplines must be rooted in grace and a desire to know God deeply. Without this, our attempts may become legalistic and can move us towards drudgery.
2. Choose what you want to memorize. There are many ways to go about this. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
   -Choose a verse based off of what you are currently reading in your time with God.
   -Choose a verse that relates to something you are struggling with or going through right now that can help draw you near to God throughout the day.
   -There are many memory systems you could follow to guide you. I love the Topical Memory System by The Navigators. This breaks verses up by topic, helping you to have a couple of verses memorized for many topics such as proclaiming Christ, growing in Christ-likeness, or the essentials of walking with God. There are hundreds of verses in this series!
   -If you are extra motivated, one of my favorite ways to memorize is by choosing an entire passage and working through it one or two verses at a time each week.
3. Choose a method to help you memorize: you may write it on a notecard or use one of the many Bible apps for memorizing scripture. Both ways have their pros and cons depending on what you prefer. My favorite app is Bible Memory. It engages you in different memory methods, keeps all of your verses organized, and reminds you to review old verses.
4. Determine how many verses you want to memorize in a week. Do you want to memorize one, two, or more each week? Set a goal to help keep yourself accountable.
5. Spend time studying and meditating on the verse and the passage it’s a part of. We don’t want to memorize one verse out of it’s context and not understand what the passage was actually talking about. We must study it in its context first, get a clear understanding for what it’s actually saying, and then meditate on how it applies to our lives. Then as we go about memorizing it, we can continue meditating on it throughout our day and ask God to apply it to our hearts and daily lives.
6. Learn the verse! Ah, we finally got to the memorizing part! Break the verse apart to memorize it. Learn it phrase by phrase. Read it over and over again. Practice saying it over and over again. Use different methods that fit your learning style: write it creatively with fun pens, make up a song, type it out, say it out loud or in your head, use an app to give you different methods for learning, etc. Then repeat, repeat, repeat.
7. Review: Make sure you’re reviewing each day, maybe multiple times a day. Decide when you will review and stick to it. Maybe set a reminder on your phone if that helps, or post the verse in your house to remind you while you do the dishes or brush your teeth.
8. Ask a friend to keep you accountable. This is so helpful for not only getting us to actually memorize, but it is also helpful to have someone ask how it is impacting your heart and life as well. Ask a friend if you can say it aloud to them, and to be asking you how you are meditating on its truths throughout the day.
9. Pray for God to use the truth of His Word to transform your mind, heart, and life, and also to help you to share it with others. Don’t forget to ask God to work in and through you as you memorize and meditate on His Word each day.

Memorizing God’s Word can be one of the most fruitful but also most challenging of the spiritual disciplines. It’s not always easy and we easily lose focus on why it’s helpful. But I promise, if you press on when it gets hard, you will see God work in marvelous ways in your heart and life, and in the lives of those around you as you share with them as well!

I pray that this helps you get started in memorizing God’s Word and storing up the truths of scripture in your heart. As you do this, I pray that you will grow closer to God, be more conformed into the image of Christ, and see the power of His Word at work in you throughout each day. May you be equipped to share the hope you have in Christ with those around you.

What other ways have you found to be helpful in memorizing scripture? I would love to hear and be encouraged by you, so please share in the comments below!

*This resource is meant to be shared! If you found it helpful, please share it with family and friends, use it as you disciple your children or others in your life that you are discipling, and continue passing on a love for God and His Word!*

Check out my other posts in my “Getting Started” series:
Spending Time with God in His Word: How to Get Started
Prayer: A Helpful Tool to Get Started
Getting Started with Family Bible Time
Discipling Children: Where Do We Start?