DFA: 10 Ways to Memorize Scripture

Hello, everyone! 

Emily here, and I have a Dragged From the Archives post to share today. This was originally posted on my blog, A Purpose and A Promise, in February 2016. Enjoy! :)

Today, I have some tips for making Scripture memorization easy and fun! It is so important to memorize God's Word, but I know sometimes it can get a little monotonous. You can sit down ready and excited to memorize a verse, and then ten minutes later get up distracted and bored. I hope you can find some ways to make your time a wonderful time with God!

(Note: I am using the word verse, but if you are memorizing more, please adapt as you need to.)


1. Write it.
Yes, really! Sometimes, writing things over and over can help you remember it better. You can write your verse several times just to practice (and tell your mom you did penmanship :D), or write it out once, really fancy, and use it for #8.

2. Give it a tune.
Do you think you'll ever forget the alphabet song? Seriously, music is a great way to remember things. This works especially well if you're trying to memorize just a verse or two. Just make up a tune, or use one you already know, and make the words fit in. Then sing it to yourself until you have it! :)

3. Teach it to others.
If you have younger siblings, you can offer to teach them a verse (or more!) It's a great way to learn it yourself, and help others learn it! If you don't have any siblings, try a neighbor or friend. Oh, and make sure you teach it in a creative, fun way! :)

4. Challenge Yourself.
I probably use this one the most often. Set goals for yourself, and stick to them! For example, say you want to memorize Psalms chapter 1. Set a time goal for yourself (maybe a week, or two weeks), and work on a little every day. (My example was just a personal one. Use however much time you need, of course!) And if you have a friend (see #6), you're even more motivated!

5. Draw a Picture.
If you're the creative and artsy type, this might be your favorite. Drawing can work the same way as writing it. Think about the passage you're trying to memorize, and just draw it! You can do one big picture, or several small ones, or incorporate it into #9. (And  you artsy people: make sure to comment and add your input!)

6. Grab a Friend.
Ask a  friend if she wants to memorize with you! If you are trying to memorize a large portion (a long chapter, or a whole book),  this will keep you both accountable, and make it fun as well! Plus, having a partner makes you motivated to finish! :)

7. Fill in the Blank.
Write out your Scripture passage, and then go back and erase every third  word (or every key  word, etc.) Then try to fill in the blank parts. If you get it right, make it harder by doing every other word, or removing whole chunks, and trying to fill them back in from your memory. 

8. Look at It-- A Lot! 
Use the neat copy that you wrote of your passage in #1, and hang it up in a place where you will see it a lot, like above your bed. Or write it on your bathroom mirror. Or use it as your phone's lock screen. Or do them all!

9. Make Mental Prompts.
You can do this mentally, or literally. If you do it in your head, simply think of a picture or symbol for each key word in your verse. If you make it unusual, it will help you remember better. Or you can actually write the verse down, and draw in your little symbols.


10. Make Reviews Fun 
The key to learning pretty much anything is practice. So reviewing the Scripture you're leaning is very important. Make it fun! For example, you can make a crossword puzzle with the words, make a matching game to play with your siblings, etc.



I hope that you found a helpful tip in one of these! Did one of these ideas help you? And what is your favorite way to memorize Scripture? Comment below!