Use these steps to walk you through exactly how to memorize Bible verses to draw nearer to God by writing His Word on your heart.
One of the most powerful ways to grow in your faith and draw closer to God is by hiding His Word in your heart. Memorizing Scripture isn’t just for children in Sunday school (though they have some really great songs to help!).
God’s Word is living and active, and when we commit it to memory, it becomes a wellspring of encouragement, wisdom, and strength in our daily lives.
If you’ve ever struggled with how to memorize Bible verses, you’re not alone! Even though I usually understand the gist of the verse, my brain has a tough time getting all of the words in the right place to memorize it exactly.
Scripture memorization doesn’t come easily to me, but it’s something I’m committed to doing for the rest of my life. It is so worth my time, energy, and brainpower to experience God more intimately by reading, speaking, singing, and memorizing His Word…and I believe the same is true for you!
Here are some of the practical tools that help me memorize Bible verses.
Before you read the list, I just want to remind you that you do not have to do all of these things just to check them off of the list. Pay attention to what’s helpful to you and do those things. 💜
Why Memorizing Scripture Matters
Before we jump into how to memorize Scripture, let’s talk about just a few of the reasons of why it’s so important:
- It strengthens your faith. When challenges come, having Scripture at the ready reminds you of God’s promises. You know how easy it is for your brain to jump to fear, worry, and anxiety, so this memorizing Scripture is a way to put on your spiritual armor to have weapons ready to fight those battles as they come into your life.
- It deepens your relationship with God. The more you meditate on His Word, the more you understand His heart. We have such a sweet opportunity to get to know the Lord’s character and love through all kinds of different books – Gospels, poetry, proverbs, and so much more.
- It equips you to encourage others. When friends, family, and even strangers come to you for support, encouragement, and guidance, having Scripture at the forefront of your mind can help you offer comfort and hope to those around you.
- It helps you resist temptation. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded with Scripture. We can do the same! God’s Word reminds us of the Truth when lies try to sneak their way into our hearts and minds. It grounds us in Him and puts our feet back on solid ground.
The Simple Steps I Use To Memorize Scripture
These are the steps and tools I use to memorize Bible verses myself.
I’ve tried all kinds of techniques over the years, but the steps below are what I use to hit all of the different learning styles – auditory, kinesthetic, visual, verbal, etc.
1. Read the verse.
Don’t overthink picking the “right” verse. That’s a place I’ve gotten stuck before I could even get started in the past! I have tons of topical Bible verse posts on this site that you can choose from based on what you need or what you’re going through right now.
Then, simply, read the verse in your head.
2. Say the verse.
Next, say the verse out loud. Speak it. That used to feel a little silly to me sometimes, but I’ve been able to see and feel how the verse “hits” differently when I say it out loud versus just reading it in my head.
It really helps to concrete the verse just a little bit more in my mind as I feel it roll off my tongue (or stumble, in some cases!).
In our Bible study group, we each pick a day of the week (my day is Monday) and we record a voice text of ourselves reading the memory verse out loud, which means we each say the verse out loud once a week and we get to listen to the others read the verse out loud the other days of the week.
We all had our hesitations starting that system, but it has been so helpful for all of us!
3. Write the verse.
Now that you’ve read it in your head and said it out loud, grab a pen or pencil and write it down.
I’m a big supporter of journaling (especially prayer journaling because I’ve learned how much my brain has to slow down and soak things in more when I have to write the words on paper. Research supports the same idea – that writing boosts memory and learning.
Write verses on index cards and carry them with you. Tape them to your bathroom mirror, put them in your car, or keep one by your bed on your nightstand.
Seeing them throughout the day helps with memorization, too.
4. Draw the verse.
This is where I try to draw my creative brain into the process by drawing the verse.
Please don’t get hung up here, either. You don’t need to be a natural artist to do this. I draw stick figures, but do what you enjoy most – doodling, hand lettering, etc.
Drawing it helps me picture the whole scene of what’s going on in this verse – Who is there? Are they standing or kneeling or running? What do their facial expressions look like?
It actually really helps me to dive deeper here to learn the context of the verse.
5. Sing the verse
Putting Scripture to music has been another incredibly helpful tool in remembering Bible verses.
Many Christian artists have already done this (check out Seeds Family Worship, Shane & Shane, and The Verses Project), or if you want to, you can come up with your own tune to match the words.
6. Sign the verse.
This is a tool not everyone can do as easily, but, man, I can’t recommend it enough.
I am a certified American Sign Language interpreter and interpreted in various school districts for over 8 years. Sign language is not only beautiful, but it is also powerful.
Signing Scripture isn’t just about putting the same words from the page out using my hands. ASL dives deeper into the meaning and emotions and paints an even more vivid picture of what’s going on.
It challenges me to look up certain words to see what they meant in their original language so that I really understand the meaning of what I’m expressing.
Open Hands Bible is a Deaf follower of Christ who signs Scripture beautifully and powerfully and I highly recommend you checking out her videos.
7. Practice with a Friend or Bible Study Group
Memorizing Scripture with others is not only more fun, but it also keeps you accountable and motivated.
8. Pray the Scripture
This is something I try to weave into every step of the process from before I even pick the verse.
Ask God to lead you to a verse that will connect you to Him in your current season. Turn your memory verse into a prayer. Speaking God’s Word in your prayers helps it take root in your heart even more.
Then just repeat the steps as you need! Read it, speak it, write it, and sing it over and over again until you know it by heart.
Some suggestions for Bible verses to memorize
Looking for a place to start? Here are some posts with verse suggestions below to match whatever season you are currently in:
19 Bible Verses on Confidence and Self Esteem
27 Bible Verses On Your Identity In Christ
15 Bible Verses on Self Control
15 Bible Verses on Endurance {When You Feel Like Giving Up}
19 Bible Verses About Temptation (& How To Overcome It God’s Way)
21 Encouraging Bible Verses On God’s Love For Us
17 Bible Verses On Sleep & Rest
33 Bible Verses on Contentment
30 Bible Verses On Overcoming
Make Scripture Memory a Joy, Not a Chore
Memorizing the Bible isn’t about checking a box (though I do love a good checklist to use as a guide!)—it’s about letting God’s truth transform your heart.
Start small, choose verses that speak to you, and enjoy the process. Over time, you’ll find that Scripture comes to mind just when you need it most! God’s Word transforms us. It changes our desires, gives us hope, and brings us peace and confidence in Him.
Which verse are you going to memorize first? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to encourage you on this journey!
