MEMORIZING SCRIPTURES
Definition: To commit to memory; to learn by heart. In regards to memorizing God’s Word, the second definition is even more meaningful, as memorization of the Word should go deeper than mere mental retention of facts or figures, reaching the fiber of our being.
1. The Lord admonishes us to plant His Word in our hearts.
Deuteronomy 6:6,7 And these Words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deuteronomy 11:18a Therefore shall ye lay up these My Words in your heart and in your soul.
Proverbs 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Proverbs 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.
Proverbs 7:1-3 My son, keep My Words, and lay up My commandments with thee. 2 Keep My commandments, and live; and My law as the apple of thine eye. 3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
Luke 9:44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears.
1 Timothy 4:6 [It is a good thing to encourage memorization:] If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the Words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.
2. The desire to memorize the Word comes from a love for His Word.
Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the Words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalm 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto Thy judgments at all times.
Psalm 119:40,47,48 [King David prays fervently for a hunger for the Word:] Behold, I have longed after Thy precepts: quicken me in Thy righteousness. … 47 And I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved. 48 My hands also will I lift up unto Thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in Thy statutes.
Psalm 119:72 The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
Psalm 119:97 O how love I Thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
Psalm 119:127 Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at Thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil.
Jeremiah 15:16a Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.
3. Memorizing the Word helps keep our hearts right with the Lord.
Psalm 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
Psalm 40:8 I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.
Psalm 119:11 Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.
Psalm 119:93 I will never forget Thy precepts: for with them Thou hast quickened me.
Proverbs 3:1 My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep My commandments.
Proverbs 4:4 He taught me also , and said unto me, Let thine heart retain My Words: keep My commandments, and live.
Proverbs 6:22,23 When thou goest, it [the Word] shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
Colossians 3:16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another inPsalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people:
James 1:21b Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.
2 Peter 1:4a Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature.
4. The Word stored in our hearts gives us strength during spiritual battles.
Matthew 4:10 When Jesus was tempted by the Devil, He quoted the Word: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not My Word like as a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
5. Memorizing the Word helps us to be better witnesses and defenders of the Faith.
Psalm 119:42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in Thy Word.
Proverbs 22:17-21 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
Isaiah 50:4a The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.
Isaiah 51:7 Hearken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
Malachi 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
Matthew 12:34b,35a Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35a A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things.
Acts 13:32-35 [Paul’s good sample of quoting the Word from memory while witnessing:] And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the Second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. 34 And as concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, He said on this wise, I will give You the sure mercies of David. 35 Wherefore He saith also in another Psalm, Thou shalt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.
Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the Word of faith, which we preach.
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
6. Some day the only Word of God we’ll have may be what we’ve implanted in our hearts.
1 Samuel 3:1b And the Word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
Ezekiel 7:26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the Words of the Lord.
7. If memorizing the Word seems especially difficult for you, here are a few good verses to claim:
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
1 John 5:14,15 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: 15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
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