The refrigerator is momentarily clean. For years it was covered in God’s Word as we recited verses for Awana, Good News Club, and the National Bible Bee.
The shiny surface of my fridge just reflected a hard truth:
We haven’t been memorizing Scripture together lately.
Do you need encouragement to press on with Bible memorization too?
Why You Should Memorize Psalms with Your Children
Some of us are forgetful.
This morning my teen reminded me to put on pants before leaving the house. (I was simultaneously encouraged that she was concerned about modesty and mortified because I had forgotten to get out of my PJs.)
A perfect memory may be your superpower. The rest of us need to memorize Psalms.
Why?
When chores are mind-numbing, relationships are exasperating, illness is debilitating, and the news is nauseating, we need to intentionally shift our thoughts away from this world and onto our God.
The Psalms remind us that our God is great.
Now to decide which psalms to memorize …
15 of the Best Psalms to Memorize As a Family
Psalms 23, 51, and 91 are frequently included in a list of psalms to memorize in their entirety.
But if you’re not ready to tackle whole psalms, commit to memorizing specific verses. Below are 15 options to get you started.
Memorize an Entire Book of Scripture in 5 Simple Steps
1. Psalm 119:11
“I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
If your kids ever ask, “Why do I need to memorize verses?” then this is the most important of psalms to teach your children.
We memorize Scripture because we are daily in a battle against sin—or at least we should be. (Ouch! I just had a self-inflicted wound.)
God’s Word is the weapon to mortify our sin nature and fight the wiles of the evil one. Even Jesus quoted Scripture to fight Satan in the Wilderness.
That said, you can’t quote what you don’t know.
2. Psalm 34:4
“I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
When we are broken and laid low, it’s natural to cry out for help. Psalm 34 reminds us that God answers prayers.
The phrase “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” was in an 80’s commercial, but it has become part of the American vernacular—even having its own Wikipedia page.
For just $288, you can have a safety button to buy some peace of mind. But when you’re crushed in spirit and attacked on all sides, you need more than faith in a plastic button.
Having assurance that the God of the universe answers your prayers makes this one of the most comforting psalms in the Bible.
3. Psalm 145:8
“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Do you really want to have accountability partners and be transformed into the image of Christ?
If so, learn this verse. Then ask your children to recite it back to you when they have ugly news.
“Mom, Psalm 145:8 says, ‘The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”’
- “I forgot to… ”
- “I broke your favorite… ”
- “I was arrested for… ”
Hearing the psalm reminds us to answer in a Christ-like manner, and our response can demonstrate the love of God to our child.
This isn’t a gospel of hyper-grace. There may still be consequences that you as a parent need to apply because there’s no such thing as a disciple without discipline.
However, Psalm 145:8 guides us to “Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Cor.16:14)
4. Psalm 51:2
“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”
Training your children to admit their wrongdoing helps restore relationships between people—the horizontal plane.
However, as every fifth-grade student learns in math, there are both an X and Y axis on a graph. We need to also confess our sins vertically, to God.
If you want to pray the psalms, this is a wonderful place to start.
5. Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Confess sin, but don’t stop there.
It’s time to reboot.
When malware or destructive files are identified and removed from a computer, part of the process is momentarily shutting down and starting over. After the purge, restarting helps reset the computer back to its preferred settings.
Once sin has been purged, ask God to restore you and renew His Spirit in you.
6. Psalm 19:1
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
Anyone who has ever gazed at a sunset or marveled at the intensity of lightning will find Psalm 19:1 one of the easiest psalms to memorize. We are blessed to witness the brilliance of the Creator just by looking up!
Every cloud formation, every roll of thunder, every star bursting light through the darkness is the work of His hand.
If God cares enough to craft individual snowflakes, how much more does He care about you who are made in His image?
7 & 8. Psalm 139:13-14
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Children need to know that they are personally created by God and never disposable.
Whether in the womb or teetering on adulthood, our children have value regardless of their physical condition, intellectual capacity, or emotional quirks.
Now reflect upon this: You’re memorizing Scripture along with your children.
When you look in the mirror, are you praising God that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made”? If all you see is sagging skin and scars of sin, then shift your focus and reflect upon a clearer vision of God.
Psalm 139 doesn’t instruct us to obsess about our humanity. It beckons us to praise God.
9. Psalm 27:1
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
In Psalm 27 David succinctly gives us a clear vision of God. The LORD is the one who:
- illumines our understanding,
- authors our salvation, and
- girds us with strength.
Isaiah 9:6 describes Him as El Gibbor, the Mighty God, who would be our deliverer. Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus Christ—the same Jesus who overcame sin and death.
Speak Psalm 27:1 into the marrow of your bones. Revere God, and fear no man.
10. Psalm 118:1
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Intentionally set your mind on things above with a psalm to quote in the morning.
Children and adults alike need a daily reminder that no matter what the day holds, God is good and He loves us.
When we begin our day in a posture of thankfulness, it frames the lens through which everything else enters our minds.
Initially, when my baby had colic we both cried seemingly nonstop. After thorough evaluations, the doctor offered sage advice:
“If he’s still crying, he’s still breathing: Take a shower.”
God was good, my son was breathing, and everyone was praising the Lord that my hygiene had improved. Eventually, after seven months the colic ceased, but God’s “steadfast love endures forever!”
11. Psalm 91:1
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
To stay in someone’s shadow you need to be close.
We have been invited to live in the very presence of God, under his protection. But sometimes, instead of communing with God each day, we visit Him in prayer on an “as needed” basis.
If you know Jesus as your Savior, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. (Rom. 8:10-12)
Embrace Psalm 91, and learn how to abide in Him.
12. Psalm 100:2
“Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”
My children have endured a myriad of historical documentaries.The details of most are long forgotten—except for one.
Before modern plumbing, British monarchs awarded noblemen or gentry the position of “Keepers of the Pot” aka “Groom of the Stool.”
Serving the king, even if only removing his waste, was considered an honor.
This is uproariously funny to children, but it’s also a solid object lesson. (No pun intended.)
Serving with gladness is learned, not innate, and even the most distasteful of tasks becomes desirable when we love our king.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23-24)
13. Psalm 86:10
“For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.”
The world says there are many gods and many ways to enter heaven.
This is a good psalm to memorize because it reminds us that our God is both awesome and unique. He is not just one god among a pantheon available from which to choose.
“There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim 2:5)
14. Psalm 145:3
“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”
I’ve heard it said that trying to grasp the greatness of God is like scooping up the ocean, one cup at a time.
We have all of eternity—beginning now—to get to know our God. Yet even with infinite days, we will never fully comprehend how great He is.
If you are searching for words of adoration, let Psalm 145:3 be the meditation of your heart.
15. Psalm 115:15
“May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth!”
Our final psalm on the list is one to encourage the people around you.
Ephesians 5:19 tells us to speak to one another with psalms.
God’s Word was never intended to be kept to ourselves. Now that you’ve hidden psalms in your heart, you’re equipped to pass them on to others.
The Blessing of Memorizing Scripture
We are confronted with sin daily, but it doesn’t have to be our focus.
Psalm 119:37 says, “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”
Committing Scripture to memory changes our thought patterns, replacing momentary trials and distractions of this world with a vision of God and His greatness.
