How to Memorize Scripture

One of the best ways to meditate on scripture is through memorization. If you are like most people, the idea of memorizing any piece of content — let alone Bible verses — can seem difficult. You may be thinking, “I can’t even remember what I ate for dinner two days ago or my plans for the weekend. How could I possibly remember the Bible?!”

Memorizing scripture doesn’t have to be overwhelming, tedious or exhausting. It can be fun and transformative– strengthening your faith, renewing your mind, and enriching your times of prayer. 

Try these simple and proven approaches to memorizing scripture:

1. Start small.

You may have a desire to memorize an entire chapter of the Bible or even a book of the Bible. That’s admirable, but when you begin to memorize scripture, start with one or two verses. Once you have memorized shorter passages of scripture, you can begin memorizing longer ones. The more you practice memorizing, the easier it will come to you.  

2. Focus on scripture that is deeply personal to you.

Is there a Bible verse you read recently that the Lord spoke to you personally through? Great! Memorize that verse as a way of continuing to contemplate what the Lord has revealed to you. Or is there something you are specifically praying about and believing God’s will for? Identify a scripture that speaks directly to that area of focus and memorize that scripture as an act of faith. Or do you have a particular belief or pattern of thinking you’d like to change? Then find a scripture that will counter the false belief or negative thinking with truth from God’s Word. Let your selection of scripture memorization be led by the Holy Spirit and reflect how the Lord is maturing you.   

3. Write the Bible verse(s) in your journal and read aloud every day.

One of the simplest ways to memorize a scripture is by first, writing the verse down in your journal, and then reading it aloud. Repeat these two steps 2-3 times a day until you are able to write and read the scripture from memory. This may take you a couple of days or a couple of weeks. That’s okay. Move at your own pace. You can use the daily reflection notes in the Seek First Journal for this practice. 

4. Use a flashcard.

This may be an old school approach, but it works! Write the scripture you want to memorize on a flashcard and carry it with you. Throughout the day, pull it out of your wallet or purse and read it. Let that prompt a short time of prayer for you before continuing with your day. Commit to this practice for a week or until you have confidently memorized the Bible verse(s). 

5. Make it your wallpaper and screensaver.

You probably spend a good chunk of time every day on your digital devices, and you can leverage your screen time to memorize scripture quickly and often! Copy and paste the scripture you are memorizing to the notes on your phone and save it as your wallpaper. Every time you pick up your phone, take a moment to read the passage and pray before continuing with your day. You can also change your screensavers on your tablets and laptops to an image of the scripture for additional opportunities throughout the day to read the scripture and pray.

6. Visualize.

If you tend to be a more visual learner, then this method will help you recall the different parts of the scripture you are memorizing. Break the scriptures into sections, and after you have identified a visual for each part, read a section at a time and then close your eyes and imagine the image that associates with the part you just read. Practice this daily until you have fully memorized the scripture. 

7. Connect it to music.

There is a reason you still know all the words to nursery rhymes, catchy jingles from commercials from your childhood, and hit songs from decades ago. Music makes memorizing easy. Attach a scripture to a tune you already know and sing it aloud every day till you know it by heart. This is a great method to practice with your children, and make memorizing scripture a family affair. 

 

8. Pray through the text.

Use the scripture you wish to memorize as a daily prayer prompt. Read the scripture, and then each day focus on a different part of the scripture to pray about. Allow the Holy Spirit to continue to speak to you through the scripture in new ways. As you continue to pray through the text each day, you will effectively memorize the Bible verses while also deepening your time of prayer.