“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7)
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
We can presume that those who are wise in God’s law have rehearsed the information. They have committed their learning to memory, which helps them live a godly life. Forgetting God’s teaching or neglecting to learn has the opposite effect. Instead of becoming a person of godly character, we become more like the world. When the trials and tribulations of life find us, we will not know how to respond biblically. Instead, we will rely on the world or what we think is the best approach. This is not how Scripture defines wisdom.
We as believers can achieve more wisdom and better memory by committing to learning verses of Scripture. The more we know, the easier time we will have living a life that reflects the glory of God. Scripture makes clear that we benefit from learning. Not only will our relationship with God improve, but we will have an easier time in life with circumstances and with people because the Bible instructs us on how to love and handle adversity.
If you are ready for the challenge of learning Scripture, here are 30 short Bible verses that are easy to memorize and will give you strength in a moment's notice.
30 Short Bible Verses
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need.” (Psalm 23:1)
“Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but your commands are my delight.” (Psalm 119:143)
“God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
“Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.” (Psalm 126:5)
“You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
Short Bible Verses about Faith
“Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.” (Matthew 10:29)
“The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” (1 Corinthians 6:13)
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
“In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman.” (1 Corinthians 11:11)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)
Short Bible Verses about Love
“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials.” (James 1:2)
“Be angry and do not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26)
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
“I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)
“Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant.” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” (Matthew 6:33)
“Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
“He leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)
“But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.” (Matthew 10:30)
“Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)
“What is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?” (Psalm 8:4)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
“Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
Short Bible Verses about Strength
“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
“I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust:” (Psalm 91:2)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
“And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)
Why Memorize Bible Verses
Commonplace are the conversations about our favorite movies, songs, and other forms of entertainment. We can easily recite our favorite lines from our favorite characters or the chorus to popular music. Memorizing these trivial details for many comes naturally, possibly because of how exposed we are to entertaining forms of media. Less frequent though are the conversations we have about our favorite Bible verses spoken by our favorite biblical characters. Moreover, we cannot readily pinpoint who said what and under what context.
When considering books such as Numbers and Leviticus, family genealogy mixed old Jewish law feel both vague and confusing. Only general ideas seem to stick. Why is remembering worldly entertainment easier than biblical wisdom? One answer may be that our exposure to the Bible in comparison to popular media is far reduced. Or is this an issue of interest rather than exposure?
Science proves that practicing memorization strengthens the brain. The more we memorize, “the better [we] can think about [things] critically and analytically”. This proves that the more knowledge we possess on a particular subject, the more we understand that subject not just for ourselves, but also for others. Imagine us communicating with believers and nonbelievers more effectively about the Bible. We will come to better understand God’s expectations for His followers and better guide others into the same awareness.
In addition to science, the Bible speaks highly of those who seek wisdom, that is those who are knowledgeable of God’s precepts.
Different Methods for Memorizing Scripture
- Read Daily
- Study with Another
- Use Sticky Notes
- Annotate Your Bible
In addition to these techniques, you can also research more ways to memorize Scripture or make up your own.
The biggest obstacle to memorization of Scripture for most is not ability, but motivation. The less exposure we receive, the less of God’s truth we will have in our hearts. The less we know, the less God can operate in our lives and in the lives of those we know. However, the benefits of memorization are clear. We can grow closer to God, others, and live lives more wholly devoted to Christ.
Seemingly, the stronger our minds, the stronger our faith. And the stronger our faith, the more we come to know God. If Jesus said that our greatest commandment was to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” then surely memorizing Scripture will bring this to fruition (Matthew 22:37).
Further Reading
20 Powerful Short Bible Verses to Memorize
Top 30 Short Bible Verses - Quick Scriptures for Divine Inspiration
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Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes work to iBelieve, Crosswalk, and supports various clients through the platform Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo. Check out his short story “Serenity.”