Scripture memorization goes hand in hand and dovetails beautifully with Scripture meditation. Sometimes, dwelling deeply on God’s Word through Scripture meditation leads fairly naturally to a text being fairly well memorized. However, purposeful memorization of Scripture makes it possible for us to dwell deeply on God’s word throughout the day.
Meditation gives Scripture memorization its power. If we memorize Scripture without meditating on it – without dwelling deeply on what God is saying and engaging ourselves fully with it – it can quickly become an intellectual exercise or a checkbox to tick off. Meditation makes memorization meaningful while memorization opens the door to ongoing Scripture meditation throughout the day.
Choose a Passage
Start by choosing a passage of Scripture short enough to memorize. What truths, attitudes, or realities do you want to more fully permeate your mind, your heart, and your days? Choose a passage that speaks to these things. Write the passage out on a small piece of paper or card that you can carry with you in your pocket. Also take this opportunity to read the context surrounding the verse you chose. This is critical in order to rightly understand what God is speaking to his people.
Dwell on the Word
Use one of the other Scripture meditation activities to dwell on and pray through the passage: Sitting with a Text, Walking with a Text, Journaling with a Text, Time with a Text, Imagining with a Text, or A Shift in Emphasis. Don’t rush this step.
After you finish meditating on the passage, consider taking some time to journal about the impact God’s word has had on your mind and heart.
Memorize the Word
After your time of Scripture meditation, you may find that you have already partly memorized the passage. Focus your attention now on memorizing it word for word so that you can say it correctly without needing to look at it. You may find it helpful to break it up phrase by phrase or verse by verse, memorizing each piece in turn.
Keep the Word in Your Heart
This process of meditating on and memorizing the chosen passage are just the first steps toward internalizing the truth of God’s Word. Over the coming days, when can you revisit this passage of Scripture? Where are there moments of pause where you could pull the passage out of your pocket to look at it again? In those moments, review the passage so that you can not only keep it memorized, but also dwell again on what God is saying and how this connects to your own mind, heart, and life. Also consider if there are certain times of the day or circumstances where this passage would be especially helpful or relevant. For example, would it be helpful to bring your mind back to this truth before getting up in the morning, before starting work, halfway through your day during your lunch break, before starting your schoolwork, before connecting with others, etc.?
Make a brief plan for how you would like to revisit God’s word in the rhythms of your life. In this, seek to have an attitude of expectancy and hope rather than adding another chore or task to your to-do list. Think of these times to pause with God’s Word throughout your day like the water stations when running a marathon. Far from being a burden, such stations are the life-giving points that refresh and renew us along the journey.
Lastly, as you journey forward, continue to hide God’s Word in your heart – occasionally choosing new passages of Scripture to memorize and to dwell on. Don’t get hung up on keeping your ever-increasing list of passages perfectly memorized. Rather, review and dwell on those truths that are the greatest help to you in walking closely with Jesus in each new season.
Alternate Format
If you choose a passage of Scripture that is too long to memorize in a single sitting, consider breaking it into smaller pieces. For example, you could go through this process of meditating on and memorizing a single verse of the passage each day until the entire passage is memorized.
Possible Scriptures for Meditation:
As you consider what verse to meditate on and memorize, the best place to start is often what you’ve been reading in God’s Word. Is there a particular verse or short passage that has impacted you recently? Consider choosing a passage that God has already been placing on your mind and heart.
Here are a few other short passages that could be used for this activity:
- Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you
- Deuteronomy 32:3-4 – A God of faithfulness
- Psalm 73:26 – God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever
- Psalm 100 – Serve the Lord with gladness
- Matthew 6:31-33 – Seek first the kingdom of God
- John 15:5 – Abide in me
- Romans 5:8 – While we were still sinners Christ died for us
- Romans 7:4 – Belonging to Jesus and bearing fruit for God
- Romans 8:1-2 – There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 – My grace is sufficient for you
- Colossians 3:1-4 – Set your minds on things that are above
- Hebrews 10:22-23 – Let us draw near with a true heart