How to Help Your Family Effortlessly Memorize Scripture

byGretchen Louise

Do you want to know a fantastic way to help your family memorize scripture with no effort?

A song comes on the radio and you’re singing along before you realize it. The tune might even put you back in the place and time you first heard it, or a special person you heard it with.

“Our brains are hard-wired to connect music with long-term memory,” but music does more than just evoke pleasant memories.

Music is a powerful mnemonic device. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, “the song’s structure is what allows a person to recall the information it holds—not necessarily the catchy tune itself.” One study shows that the tune itself isn’t even necessary to help in recollection–oftentimes the words themselves are enough to activate the memory of a song.

Your children sing a silly little ditty one too many times and it’s stuck in your head the rest of the day. You might even be able to help them easily memorize math facts or Bible verses when they are set to music.

Music engages a large percentage of the brain. A brain imaging study suggests that, “The motor areas process the rhythm, the auditory areas process the sound, while the limbic regions are associated with the emotions.”

When you fill your home’s playlist with Scripture set to music, you are providing your family (and yourself!) with one of the most effortless avenues for memorizing the Bible.

I’ve organized this list of albums and songs by style. From soft Scripture lullabies to upbeat Bible memory songs, there’s something for everyone. And plenty of easy-listening music genres that Mom will love to keep on repeat.

Music labeled with quotations are single songs while music labeled in italics are full albums.

Psalms Set to Music

“…Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…”
(Ephesians 5:18b-19, ESV)

When I’m exhausted, discouraged, or sick, I turn to the Psalms–their familiar words giving shape to my wordless prayers. I put the Sons of Korah or The SHIYR Poets on repeat, often falling asleep to their cadence, as I rest in the sweet assurances of the Psalms set to music.

This section features artists who have put the words of the Psalms to their own style of music. Some are more true to the traditional sound of the Psalms, others are more contemporary.

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John Michael Talbot

Sons of Korah

The Sons of Korah were my first introduction to Psalms set to music. Their authentic sound holds a special place in my heart.

Jamie Soles

The SHIYR Poets

  1. Songs for the Journey, Vol. 1
  2. Songs for the Journey, Vol. 2

Shane & Shane

The Psalms Project

This band’s awesome goal is to set every one of the 150 Psalms to music!

  1. Volume I: Psalms 1-10
  2. Volume 2: Psalms 11-20
  3. Volume 3: Psalms 21-30

Abe & Liza Philip

Nathan Partain

Fernando Ortega

New Hope Oahu

Sandra McCracken

Ellie Holcomb

Wendell Kimbrough

Steve Green

Keith Green

The Corner Room

Michael Card

Easy-Listening Scripture Songs

“I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.”
(Psalm 104:33, ESV)

With four children ten and under, my house has plenty of noise. So the last thing I want to do when I turn on music is feel like I’m adding to the noise. That’s why I love this collection of music with lyrics straight from Scripture, from artists like Sandra McCracken and Christy Martenson. The style is uplifting and enjoyed by the whole family, but the sound is easy on mommy’s ears.

This list focuses on word for word Scripture songs that I enjoy keeping on repeat in my home. These songs and albums are more mature than traditional children’s Bible memory songs.

Sherri Youngward

True Words

John Michael Talbot

Jamie Soles

Matt Papa

The Gospel Coalition

Fernando Ortega

These particular songs are some of Fernando Ortega’s beautiful musical renditions of Scripture.

New Hope Oahu

Matt Minikus & Josie Minikus

Sandra McCracken

The Martensons

Every song on the album Wait on The Lord is made up of beautiful prayers and praise composed by Christy Martenson. These two songs specifically are word for word Scripture:

Keith Green

Nathan Clark George

Grace Evangelical Church

Michael Card

Michael Card has composed entire albums themed around specific books of the Bible (Matthew: The Penultimate Question, Mark: The Beginning of the Gospel, Luke: A World Turned Upside Down, and John: A Misunderstood Messiah). Here are a few of his songs with word for word Scripture lyrics (see more in the Psalms section):

Bible Memory Songs

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
(Psalm 119:11, ESV)

“Do to others, do to others, what you would have them do to you…” I can still sing along to every word of the 41 songs on Steve Green’s album Hide ‘Em In Your Heart. I grew up on the set of two cassette tapes and then bought them in CD format for my own children. We’ve expanded our memory music repertoire to include many more albums focused on encouraging Scripture memory.

The list below features more upbeat music and often includes the Scripture references spoken or sung with the words of the verses.

The Wonder Kids

Sovereign Grace Music

Songs for Saplings

Don’t miss their six-album set Questions With Answers for an excellent way to memorize catechism, as well!

Slugs and Bugs Sing the Bible

Seeds Family Worship

Seeds produces modern, word for word Scripture memory music and videos, along with many free resources.

  1. Seeds of Courage
  2. Seeds of Faith
  3. Seeds of Praise
  4. Seeds of Purpose
  5. The Power of Encouragement
  6. Seeds of Character
  7. The Character of God
  8. The Word of God
  9. The Journey

The Rizers

Their name is short for “memorizers” and their mission is to “instill in kids a love for Jesus Christ and his Word through Scripture memory, praise and worship.”

Dave and Jess Ray

Abe & Liza Philip

Psalty

My husband grew up on Psalty praise songs. Most of the songs in this album are based directly on Scripture passages.

Steve Green

Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends

King Things

Integrity Music’s Scripture Memory Songs

Integrity Music provides vast variety of themed Scripture memory albums in a slightly less contemporary, but still very enjoyable, style of music.

Fighter Verses™

  1. Fighter Verse Songs: Set 1
  2. Fighter Verse Songs: Set 2
  3. Fighter Verse Songs: Set 3
  4. Fighter Verse Songs: Set 4
  5. Fighter Verse Songs: Set 5

Josh Caterer

Colin Buchanan

Upbeat Aussie Praise™ Bible memory songs!

Mark Altrogge

  1. Hide the Word
  2. A Ransom for Many: Hide the Word, Vol. 2
  3. Once for All: Hide the Word, Vol. 3
  4. Refuge & Strength: Hide the Word, Vol. 4
  5. Word of the Cross: Hide the Word, Vol. 5
  6. Weight of Glory: Hide the Word, Vol. 6
  7. Not One Falls: Hide the Word, Vol. 7
  8. Through the Waters: Hide the Word, Vol. 8
  9. Walk Humbly, Hide the Word, Vol. 9
  10. Ends of the Earth: Hide the Word, Vol. 10

Scripture Lullabies

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
(Psalm 1:2, ESV)

When I was little, I was afraid of the dark. I wrote out verses like Hebrews 13:6 and hung them on my canopy bed where I could see them as I fell asleep. Now, I play Michael Card’s Sleep Sound in Jesus and Scripture Lullabies’ Hidden In My Heart for my own children at bedtime. There’s nothing sweeter than falling asleep to the promises of Jesus as a lullaby! And some experiments even suggest that deep sleep is actually prime time for reinforcing memorization.

These albums are composed of the words of Scripture set to relaxing melodies designed to lull the whole family to sleep and store His Word in your heart.

Seeds Family Worship

Scripture Lullabies

  1. Hidden In My Heart: A Lullaby Journey Through Scripture
  2. Hidden In My Heart, Volume II, A Lullaby Journey Through Scripture
  3. Hidden in My Heart, Volume III, A Lullaby Journey Through The Life Of Jesus

Patch the Pirate

I grew up on Patch the Pirate’s adventures and fun songs. These are in a very different, very lovely style that is typical of Majesty Music.

What songs are on your Scripture playlist? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Because He Lives,
Gretchen

 

Gretchen learned to read at age 3½ and has been a connoisseur of words ever since. She and her farmer husband are homeschool grads who met at Yellowstone National Park and fell in love through a 10-year friendship formed in correspondence by old-fashioned mail. When they got married, it took more than 16 boxes to contain their combined library of books. Instilling a love of reading and a passion for good books is an integral part of the way they educate their four children at home. When Gretchen isn't reading, she's blogging about books or coding WordPress websites for authors and bloggers.

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