People always assume I have an incredible memory because I can quote many Bible verses and whole passages of Scripture verbatim.
They’re wrong.
My long-term memory is pretty ordinary, and my short-term memory is as bad as it gets. I lose my phone at least 10 times a day. (I have no idea where it is right now.)
So how have I committed so much Scripture to memory?
I’ve learned some techniques that I use regularly to aid my memory and create lasting retention when it comes to Scripture, and I bring my kids along for the ride. We’ve memorized many passages together. I discuss these techniques thoroughly in Episode 84 of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD - How To Learn More Scripture in 2024 Than You Ever Have Before. I will cover a few highlights in this article.
You can’t overestimate the power of song.
I’m a Gen Xer, and like many of my era, I can tell you a little “story ‘bout a man named Jed, a poor mountaineer—barely kept his family fed. And then one day he was shootin’ up some food and up through the ground came a bubblin’ crude. Oil that is. Black gold. Texas tea.”
That is the first verse of the theme song to The Beverly Hillbillies, for those born after 1975. I could go on. I remember the whole thing. I can also quote every word to the theme song from The Brady Bunch (and more 80s tunes than I can count). I haven’t seen an episode of those golden oldies in nearly 40 years, but I can still sing the songs.
When you put memorable words to a catchy tune, they stick. Sometimes forever.
I once heard a fellow educator talk about how his grandmother lost her verbal skills after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It started with dropping a single word here and there. Then it progressed to phrases and full sentences, making communication a painful chore. But… the gift of song remained until the end. His grandmother would pipe up whenever someone played an old hymn. She could sing every word. It was the very last skill to go.
If that’s not a testament to the power of a great song, I don’t know what is.
Using song will make information stick.
A decade ago, we began educating our kids with a classical, Christian curriculum that utilizes song to memorize anything and everything. Elements on the periodic chart. Newton’s laws of motion. Times tables, mathematical laws, U.S. states and capitals and presidents, English definitions, history facts, Latin declensions and conjugations, the preamble to the Constitution (thank you School House Rock), a timeline starting at Creation and spanning to modern day containing over 170 significant events. (It takes over 12 minutes to sing that song.)
You name it, we can stick it to a melody and memorize it.
And, of course, we memorize Scripture.
Each of my kids has learned John 1:1-7 in English and in Latin by the age of 12, as well as many other passages of Scripture. And while my kids are bright, they aren’t prodigies. They are ordinary, everyday kids who can remember information when you put it to a catchy tune (even in a foreign language), just like I can tell you a little “story ‘bout a man named Jed...”
Only my kids can tell you something far more important. They can tell you that “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God. And the word was God. This was with God in the beginning.” (John 1:1)
Many of our worship choruses are inspired by Scripture, but putting word-for-word Bible passages to melody is a different discipline. Artists who do this must work within the confines of a given text. This presents some unique challenges, like how to maintain interest and satisfy aesthetic concerns while not altering the words.
I’ve been putting Scripture to melody for many years. My songs include the following passages:
And several more. You can receive these Scripture songs as a free resource by subscribing at my website. My Scripture Song Bundle contains all my songs, pro tips for memorizing, and links to artists and other resources that aid memory.
But some passages are a bit too tall an order for me, a crazy-busy homeschooling/podcasting mom with five kiddos. So, I outsource. Over the years, I’ve found some incredible singer/songwriters who are committed to creating songs from straight Scripture. Artists like:
But recently, I was looking for a song to aid in memorizing Psalm 8, and none of my usual sources sufficed. That’s when I stumbled across a hidden gem—Zac Fitzsimmons. Zac joined me in episode 84 of CP/CW to discuss the art of capturing straight Scripture in melodic form, and he shares some of his incredible songs with my listeners live.
Motivated by a summer sermon series on the Psalms from his pastor, Zac began using his considerable talent to create songs of every passage being taught. He is devoted to helping Believers absorb the deep, powerful poetry of the Psalms like thin layers of filo soak up the rich honey syrup of a delicate Greek pastry. To date, Zac has committed about 25 of the Psalms (full chapters) to song, and he continues to create more. The result is sweet and deeply satisfying to the soul.
“There’s nothing that compares to the power of Scripture… Even the greatest song I ever write—it pales in comparison to singing Scripture,” said Zac about focusing on the Bible as his sole source of lyrical inspiration. When it comes to creating word-for-word songs from the Bible, this remarkable artist adds, “I think I’ve found a place here.”
I couldn’t agree more. The best word I can use to describe Zac’s music is anointed. He shares both Psalm 1 and Psalm 8 live in my episode on memorizing Scripture, with yours truly singing harmony in the latter. And you can download a free version of both by subscribing on my website.
You can find all of Zac’s music on YouTube and his website.
To memorize a passage of Scripture in song, start small. Take the first section and sing it over and over, at least a dozen times. For example, with Psalm 8—start with the first phrase, “Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth…” and stop.
Don’t bite off more than that. Sing it twelve times in the morning and revisit it in the afternoon or evening that first day. This only takes a few minutes.
On day two, that section will still be wobbly, like Jell-o that is not fully set. Keep singing that section every day until it solidifies (when you can recall the words without a prompt). This only takes a few concentrated minutes each day, and then review later in the day while you commute from work or cook dinner.
When the first section is firm, add the next phrase, “You have set your glory above the heavens, (above the heavens)” and stop. Work the new section with the old until it is solid. Then add the next small section. Progress through the entire passage until you can sing the whole thing.
Piece by piece you will memorize an entire verse, passage, or chapter of Scripture—and you will be shocked by how well the verses stick in your memory.
My kids and I memorized all of Psalm 91 one summer using this incremental approach through song, and it was so easy. It just took a little discipline. We would sing a new section for a few minutes each day and then review everything in the car. We sang this chapter of Psalms while making lunch, folding clothes, going on hikes, coloring, or playing with playdough.
Memorizing Scripture through song is the perfect addition to any mindless chore or activity.
In addition to singing through a passage, we often use sign language to reinforce the words. Just as a melody registers in a different part of the brain than pure recitation, using a motion goes to a different part of the brain as well. I look up motions on Hands Speak, Signs Savvy, or the ASL Dictionary, which have directories that link to videos showing how to sign a given word.
But don’t try to sign every word. Only select certain words to reinforce with a sign. For example, with Psalm 8:1, you could use the sign language symbol for “Lord” followed by the symbol for “awesome” as a substitute for “majestic,” which doesn’t have a word-for-word translation. Then you could use the symbols for “name” and “earth.” Don’t overdo it.
You can make up a motion to reinforce certain words instead, but adding sign language provides another bonus for you and your kids.
Years ago, I heard Dr. Caroline Leaf compare the memory to a tree. People who retain a lot of long-term memories (knowledge) have thick, healthy branches on their tree. People who have poor long-term memory, have thin, weak branches.
Repetition over time is the key to building healthy memory branches, but it takes a lot of repetition to make a long-term memory. Using song and sign language to retain Scripture creates thick, healthy branches in a fraction of the time (and effort) that mere repetition requires.
Eventually, you can drop the aids of sign language and song when quoting a passage, but your brain will retain these aids even when you don’t use them.
God’s truth comes to us in seed form. There is no better seed to plant in our hearts (and our kid’s hearts) than God’s word. That seed will grow to reap a harvest of maturity, understanding, and wisdom. After all, the Apostle Paul told us that:
“The word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
By the way, I can quote that verse because I memorized it using a Scripture song.
I am officially issuing a challenge to my readers and listeners in the new year. Try to learn one new verse a week using a Scripture song. (I will be checking in with my subscribers throughout the year to provide encouragement and tips.) You could probably learn more than that, but commit to learning a single verse each week.
And at the end of the year, you will have learned 52 new Bible verses!
If you struggle with memorizing this way and it takes you twice as long, you will still learn 26 new verses this year. And even if you only learn one verse a month, at year-end you will have committed 12 verses to memory, which is a dozen more than most people will learn this year. You will likely memorize that many verses by simply listening to a few Scripture songs while you get ready for your day.
So commit with me to planting God’s word in your heart like never before this year, and those seeds will become living and active in you.
To download Catherine’s Scripture songs, subscribe on her website, and to hear her conversation with recording artist Zac Fitzsimmons on how to learn Scripture through song, listen to Episode 84 of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD - just click the play button below:
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Listen to Catherine's FREE Christian Apologetics Podcast for Parents - Christian Parent, Crazy World, available now at LifeAudio.com!