Why a psalm?
- They're varying lengths, so you can pick one that would be a challenge but not too hard
- Psalms were meant to be spoken/sung out loud, and they connect with our hearts
Why with someone?
- Not only does it hold you accountable to memorize with someone else, it gives you a shared experience together.
- My context is being married with 5 kids, so that's my current "family," but you could memorize with a spouse, sibling, or friend!
- You don't even necessarily have to live in the same house or town -- your memorizing buddy can live halfway around the world! Just have a shared experience and check in occasionally.
Why this summer?
- short-term goals are easier to achieve than long-term goals
- we shift our thinking during different seasons, so it's a perfect time to set a goal
Do I have to memorize a whole psalm? There's no "right" or "wrong" in this -- any time spent memorizing Scripture is a worthy investment. If you'd like to pick a shorter segment of a psalm, you totally can (Psalm 119 with 176 verses may be a little too ambitious in its entirety!). I also think there's value (and momentum for future memorizing) in knowing that you've memorized a whole chapter of the Bible (even if is "only" five or six verses).
To make this a bit more practical, here are some steps to get you started:
- declare yourself by choosing a psalm to memorize and get your people on board by mid-June.
- make a plan for how to break up your psalm into weekly or monthly segments over the course of June, July, and August
- check in at the end of each month with your progress!
If you know anything about my Scripture memory journey, you know that I prefer and encourage memorizing with song. There are many great Scripture song artists on YouTube who focus on psalms (like Sons of Korah, The Psalms Project), but I want to highlight my favorite -- The Corner Room (ESV). If you pick one of these psalms, you can listen to the song as a family, and then committing it to memory will be that much easier.
- Psalm 1 (6 verses) - Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked...
- Psalm 8 (9 verses) - O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name...
- Psalm 13 (6 verses) - How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
- Psalm 16 (11 verses) - You make known to me the path of life...
- Psalm 23 (6 verses) - The Lord is my shepherd...
- Psalm 42 (11 verses) - As a deer pants for flowing streams...
- Psalm 46 (11 verses) - God is our refuge and strength...
- Psalm 63 (11 verses) - O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you...
- Psalm 67 (7 verses) - May God be gracious to us and bless us...
- Psalm 100 (5 verse) - Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
- Psalm 121 (8 verses) - I lift up my eyes to the hills
- Psalm 127 (5 verses) - Unless the Lord builds the house...
- Psalm 139 (24 verses - 4 separate songs) - I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...
- Psalm 150 (6 verses) - Let everything that has breath praise the Lord...
Here's Psalm 100:
Let me know (through a comment or to me directly) if you're in!
