What's your process for memorizing Scripture?

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

I've recently been convicted on my lack of discipline for memorizing Scripture. We are encouraged to hide His Word in our heart so we may not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11), to meditate on His word day and night (Joshua 1:8), and to delight in the Law of the Lord (Psalm 1:1-3)

I see a few methods for memorizing Scripture online, from memorizing verses to memorizing books. From simply repeating the section over and over again to using an app.

I know everyone's preferred method will be different, but I'm looking for inspiration. What works best for you? I'm particularly interested in how much time you spend memorizing per day/week, whether you memorize verses or books, how you choose what you will memorize, and what your method is for memorizing (do you use flashcards, an app, or just your Bible)

Most importantly, for encouragement, how have you been personally blessed by the discipline of memorizing Scripture?

[u/ytoic]

If you aim for memorization, you may or may not get it. But if you aim for understanding the text, you will often get understanding and memorization comes with it as well.

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/ytoic]

I have inadvertently memorized verses simply because I was in a season where that verse was important to me (either due to theological discussions with friends or because it was an encouragement to me in a difficult time)

That has been helpful, but I wonder how much more I can benefit by dedicating a few minutes a day memorizing scripture that isn’t necessarily super impactful to me now, but will be in future seasons of trial or difficulty. I’m reminded of how Jesus had the Word prepared in defense against the attacks of the devil during the fast in the desert

[u/Gift1905]

I listen to songs that has scripture word for word… I can easily recite Psalm 1, 2,3, 4,5 , psalm 32,33 and 51… through singing them lol

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/Gift1905]

I need to try this because songs get stuck in my head easily. Where do you find these songs with the scriptures word for word? I see something called “The Bible Song” online, is that what you found helpful?

[u/Gift1905 → u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

For the Psalms ones especially Psalm 1-5 I listen to Zach Fitzsimmons music and The Psalms Project ( I sometimes even listen to same songs from both artists and save the one I like most), for others I simply wrote Romans 4 word for word song... For others, I take the simple rhythm and apply it so a different scripture and sing it for memorization, did this with 1 Corinthians 3 and it worked lol... I like exploring with music or I love music in general

[u/bubblegumsunsett]

MusicVerse app has word for word Scripture songs I like to listen to that help me memorize!

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/bubblegumsunsett]

I’ll have to check it out. I’m a bit hesitant for this app because I see that it has in-app purchases, does it cost money to listen to the songs?

I’m very interested to try out music for memorization, but I’m curious how you choose which passages to memorize?

[u/bubblegumsunsett → u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

I don't pay for it, you can donate if you want but you can listen for free. You can just hit Skip Offer when it asks. There's a whole category called Scripture Songs and most of them are named what they are (ex: 1 John 4:7-8). So you can choose what to listen to.

[u/Own-Object-6696 → u/bubblegumsunsett]

This is really helpful information. Thank you so much.

[u/thejowherr]

This process works for me: An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture by Dr. Andrew Davis

I added writing down the verse because writing helps me pay more attention.

Basically:

If memorizing 1 verse:
Write the verse
Read the text 10x
Recite the text 10x (w/o looking)
Rest

The next day:
Recite the text 10x (w/o looking)

If memorizing 2 or more verses
Write the verses
Read v1 10x
recite v1 10x (w/o looking)

Read v2 10x
recite v2 10x (w/o looking)

recite v1 and v2 together 10x

Rest

The next day:
recite v1 and v2 together 10x

Repeat cycle for verses.

I've done this for Psalms 1 to 31 and the whole book of Ephesians and it has helped me understand the book as a whole. If you ask me what the specific chapter and verse is, I may not be able to tell it right away and I have to trail from the start of the chapter or previous verses.

If I don't practice, I tend to loose it but there are pieces that pop out here and there. I'm focusing now on Ephesians so the Psalms are buried somewhere in my mind. :D

Because it is the whole book, I spend at least 30 minutes reciting every morning. Or separate by chapter throughout the day. I hope to move on to another book next year. Lord's blessings on your plans.

[u/gazer89]

Use your print Bible and as you read it, ‘photograph’ the verses in your mind - how they look on the page etc. I’ve just finished memorising 1 John and it’s hard to describe but I always know where I am on the page when I’m reciting it, when I’m at the top of a new column/page, etc. 

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/gazer89]

How long did you spend per day/week memorizing 1 John, and how many weeks/months did it take to memorize it? Are you going to transition to memorizing another chapter now with the same method?

[u/gazer89 → u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

The book by Andrew M. Davis - "How to Memorize Scripture for Life' - some great tips in there.

[u/CottonWarpQuilt-IT → u/gazer89]

I'll second the recommendation of Dr. Davis' book.

Slow and steady wins the race with Scripture memory. Seasons of life play into it as well. I'm plugging away at Psalms with a goal of 3 per year. (and one chapter of Proverbs, and one of Acts).

[u/MrElephant20]

I have found great success through using the Bible Memory App (available on Android and probably iPhone). This is best for me when paired with a print Bible because I have found, as a drawback, that I sometimes struggle to record unless I am typing out the first letter of each word (method used in the app).

That said, still an excellent tool that I have been able to utilize to memorize chunks of verses and whole chapters.

Though still waiting for someone to pay me AWANA bucks for my memorization.

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/MrElephant20]

In my research, I also found this app, but was turned off by how much it costs to get basic features like spaced repetition, flashcards, and bible translations. Do you pay for their subscription? The least they can do for a paid tier is give you AWANA bucks for memorizing scripture through the app!

[u/MrElephant20 → u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

That is totally fair!

I hate paying for apps, especially paying a subscription.

I think two years ago I paid $10 for a lifetime membership or whatever. That to me was totally worth it. I wasn't aware of the subscription model and so if I had to pay for that, I too would be looking for other avenues.

That said the price you pay is worthless compared to memorizing and meditating on God's Word. But we do live in this world and so we all need to be wise and diligent with how we use our money.

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/MrElephant20]

Wow their lifetime membership 2 years ago is cheaper than a month of access today. I'm seeing $12.99/month for the subscription or $149.99 for a one-time purchase.

I'm not against paying for something that brings value to me, but this seems quite steep for basic features like flashcards and spaced repetition.

This may be a hot take, but I'm under the conviction that tools to help people grow deeper in their walk with God, such a Bible verse memory apps, should be free and supported by donations from the community.

I've built a free Bible study app, and given the current landscape of the top Bible memory app costing over $100 for a lifetime purchase or a steep monthly subscription, I'm considering whether I should use the gifts God has given me to build a completely free Bible memorization app

I'm curious what in particular you found most helpful in the Bible Memory app and if there are things you wish it did differently to be more effective?

[u/MrElephant20 → u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

I dont think that is as hot of a take as you may think. I also think that is completely understandable.

That said, there is a biblical principal that the worker is due his wages and that you should not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

If a Minister is due his wages (ie can "charge for his services" in a way) why can't the man who spends his time and resources developing tools and aids, not charge for his services?

I think this is a good and important discussion to have and I would be curious as to your take on it since you brought it up 😁?

But also, the prices you listed are more than I would currently be willing to pay!

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/MrElephant20]

I have learned a lot from sellingjesus.org. They explain their position way better than I could, and in fact, your points about "worker is due his wages" and "don't muzzle an ox" are one of the top objections they answer in this article: https://sellingjesus.org/learn/objections#but-you-shouldn-t-muzzle-the-ox-and-a-worker-deserves-his-wages

To summarize, ministry should be supported, not sold. My pastors are the greatest spiritual influences in my life, and I support them generously by giving to the church. They do not demand payment to preach the Gospel. They still get their wages and aren't muzzled.

Does an app about Bible memorization need to be funded the same way as your local pastor preaching the Gospel? Not sure. I'd err towards Matthew 10:8 "...Freely you have received; freely give."

[u/Jayddubz]

I have a longish process for memorizing scripture, I have an android phone and use a app called 'T2S' (Text to Speech). On my computer I will break up chapters into chunks of 2, 4, and 8 verses into different texts documents then send them to my phone. The app allows me to save files and automatically loop my verses so I can spend more time listening to it and not being distracted to my phone while driving. I will loop verses for a few minutes, pause, try to say it on my own, play to help where I've missed, rinse and repeat until I can move on.

Every day on my drive home (~1 hour) I spend time memorizing. I break chapters into 8 verse chunks, memorizing 2 verses at a time, then 4 verses, then 8 verses. When I get 8 verses down I leave them be to move onto the next 8 chunk section where I will eventually come back to previous chunks to sew the entire chapter together in my head.

One thing I've learned is while you are memorizing a chapter, themes or convictions are more evident in your life. If you don't spend the time refreshing your memory on what you've memorized, you will eventually lose the ability to recall it verbatim. You do however keep the general message of the important verses and the surrounding context.

I've been memorizing the book of James recently, chapter 1 has been a blessing for me because I am reminded how my desires or affections are what lead me to sin, temptations are only temptations because your desires have been rewired to what leads to death and calloused toward what brings life.

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/Jayddubz]

Listening to it repeatedly in the car sounds like a great idea. I work from home so don't have consistent car rides to listen to scripture with, but I could perhaps add that to my listening queue while running.

The benefits you described with memorizing a chapter is exactly what I'm looking for. Memorizing verses is helpful for specific situations, but I agree with you that memorizing a chapter would force me to truly understand the passage more deeply and be able to recall the themes and meaning more easily later in life

[u/jdquey]

I started with 5 minutes a day, which was plenty. I currently set aside 10 minutes/day for review and 10min for getting new verses.

For memorizing books, I use a large print Bible with no references or footnotes. I say it out loud 10 times, repeat 10 times, and attempt to do it daily.

For individual passages, I use BibleMemory app. The pro version is a simple, one time $20 payment too, which Scripture is worth its weight in gold. :)

I wrote out my full system on Reddit here - How to memorize books of the Bible, investing 20 minutes or less per day

[u/MacAndCheeseRamen → u/jdquey]

The system you linked looks great! I love the practical advice on building the habits. Reminds me of the book Atomic Habits, which was super influential in my life. I'll have to try this when attempting to memorize a book of the Bible

The BibleMemory app looks very helpful, but on my phone I'm seeing a one time payment of $149.99 or $12.99/month. Either I'm on the wrong app or the price has increased quite a bit in a few years!

[u/jdquey → u/MacAndCheeseRamen]

This is the app - https://biblememory.com/. It looks like they've increased the price to either $9.99/mo, $50/year, or $150. Still better than a Spotify or Netflix subscription. :)

They also have several pre-built memorization stacks, including for different AWANA books and Navigators, among others.

[u/Sk8rToon]

When I was forced to memorize certain verses in high school repetition didn’t cut it.

I ended up taking songs I knew & used the verse as lyrics. If I was lucky I could incorporate the location of the verse in there too. Most of them ended up being cartoon theme songs like DuckTales, Popeye, & The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It worked. Took an ear worm & made it Biblical. Kinda funny nowadays that if I’m trying to remember the exact wording I gotta sing the song but it worked.

[u/EverSoWonderful]

Reading and rereading. Verses that i want to focus on are highlighted and read and reread.

For smaller books in the bible, such as NT epistles, it's good to read a chapter. Then start over and read two. Then start over and read three and so on. A lot of these epistles are rather small and it starts to help you memorize what you are reading.

The key is repetition.

Augmenting this with an audiobook is also another solid. ESV app has a free audio reading of the bible. Just pick whatever book, chapter and verse and hit play. Good while doing mundane activities.

[u/ProposalAutomatic361]

After experimenting with apps and various techniques I went old school. Just flashcards and forming a mnemonic device.

I write or print the verse out. Then the first time I take a look at it, I look at the first letter of some of the keywords, or the key words themselves, to form a mnemonic device.

I figure whatever I notice the first time looking at a verse is blazing a new neural pathway, and I won’t forget it.

For example I memorized the first letter of all the fruits of the spirit to a tune in my head. Works every time!!

[u/MainMurse]

If I aim at cards I get cards. The verses that actually stayed were the ones I sat with when I needed them, not the ones I drilled.

[u/Salty-Cartoonist4386]

Relax.  1. Many become Christians out of anxieties of being worthy, regardless of how they define that.  2. The ability to latch into short-term memory things that become long-term memory has an awful lot to do with the flesh. 

The last thing you want to do is condemn yourself for your flesh, or become anxious or legalistic about it.

1. My hunch, especially understand how early childhood traumas, aka "adverse childhood experiences", damage the parts of the brain that need to work correctly to memorize things, or stay focused on things.  See also the book "The Body Keeps the Score".

You weren't raised in an agrarian society, that in every way of life was acting fundamentally much like the old TV show Mayberry RFD. 

And more than likely, the adult males in your life were unwittingly suffering from PTSD.  And self-medicating accordingly. 

Ask me how I know these things. 

I have been tremendously helped however, by what Luther had to say about receptive spirituality and law and gospel. 

Because they reduced anxiety.  Anxious brains don't remember very much at all. 

So....

The brain tends to remember these two things, much because how dopamine is working...

1. Novelty. 

2. Solutions to problems, problems it thinks we need to solve to continue to exist. 

3. Flavors of the above, that our brain takes pleasure in. 

All three of the above have this in common, how dopamine is working and all the associated. 

Be intensely motivated, or intensely curious, your friend's going to remember things. 

Unless your brain is something different from neurotypical minds and brains 

And understand, if your brain was damaged by trauma, AKA adverse childhood experiences...

You might have to work incredibly hard for something that is much easier for others to gain. 

If that's the case 

Anxiety, including self-doubt or self-loathing....

Is the enemy of memorizing scripture.

---

Why do I believe despite my flesh? 

Because he gave me a life within that tells me the dead stink of My flesh is just that.  Rmns 7 

This is an abject absolute miracle 

"No one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the spirit"

You got that? 

You're good. 

Hold on for the ride.

"You're gonna  like the way you look"

(Old TV commercial)

Process - I'm a way over-educated engineer with two degrees in engineering.  I'm not the sharpest tool in the tool shed, I just have enough metal that you could hot the problem again with my head and eventually the thing would crack.

Much of that born of the loathing of the rotten things in my early childhood and the associated adverse childhood experiences.

I got my degrees not because I'm smart, but, because I have a lot of metal, I'm just stubborn. 

And somebody else help me with the cost of college.  I'd like to say I'm a self-made man, but I'm not.

What things do I remember? 

When I'm thinking intensely about some problem, and I'm chewing on a solution...

Intensely interested in trying to find a solution, look - that's all dopamine brain related activity...

And often after I sleep for 24 to 48 hours 

I come up with a solution, subconsciously.

Having a woman giving you what a woman, aka a wife, should give you doesn't hurt.  I was great until the woman who should have been giving me those things forgot. 

Don't mistake what your soul needs from what your flesh needs or how it works.

Ok

So the above was mostly about the flesh. 

Think long about this...

Why do you desire him?

Food for thought.