“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11 KJV)
Like the Psalmist, I too have been motivated to hide—and re-hide—Scripture in my heart. Haven’t you? Just reading the words of the Bible somehow doesn’t seem to be enough. You want them INSIDE of you. That’s why hearing them spoken with your own voice—by heart—helps you to internalize TRUTH and show the honor to God’s Word that it is due. Quoting Scripture is pure fruit borne of what’s been planted—hidden—in the heart.
For me, memorizing passages of God’s Word is like painting them permanently on the walls of my soul. They’re there—and WILL be there—when I need them. Someday, I may find myself alone in a dark place, able only to retreat into the confines of my own heart without the comfort of the Scriptures before my eyes. But, if stored in my memory, I will then still have the words of LIFE all around me. Speaking back to me.
Over ten years ago, I challenged myself to memorize Psalm 119 … and somehow I did it. I read it, and re-read it, and said it, and repeated it until I could quote all 176 verses—ALEF to TAV—by heart. It wasn’t quick, and it wasn’t easy. It took me over five years.
But, after I had conquered that mountain, sadly, I didn’t KEEP it. After time, the rote memory of most of the verses I had learned slipped from my mind’s grip one by one. I did indeed hide it in my heart … but I forgot where I put it.
What happened? I didn’t KEEP it. Hiding God’s word in our hearts is one thing—KEEPing it in our minds is another. The fact is: once we memorize something, it stays forever in our brains—somewhere. But, if it’s not accessed regularly, it gets stuck in a folder, filed way back in the deep, dark, dusty recesses of our cerebral cortex. It becomes locked away with other unused information, like the algebra we learned in high school.
To truly KEEP it, we must use it, guard it, and fight for it. We must pull the texts out and REPEAT them over and over. Daily—during prayer time in the morning. While taking short walks or long hikes. While on break at work or waiting in traffic. While rocking a child, washing the dishes, mowing the yard—or while trying to fall asleep at night. Faithfully. Yes, it’s a commitment to exercise the brain and fight off the distractions. Yes, memorizing Scripture is a challenge, but it’s a challenge that’s so worth it—and recalling God’s Word is easier when you KEEP it.
So, I’ve challenged myself to not only re-memorize Psalm 119, but to KEEP it. Why? Because it’s important. Memorizing Scripture for KEEPS is the BEST gift I can possibly give myself.
Psalm 119 is all about the virtues of the Word of God—His statutes, commandments, testimonies, judgments, precepts, and laws. It, along with various other psalms and Scripture passages, was written specifically to be memorized. Its acrostic format (albeit, acrostic in Hebrew, not English) was intended to make it easier to remember. The psalm itself reminds the reader to “KEEP” it … over and over and over. Embedded in one of the Hebrew words that is translated “keep” are clues for how to do just that. We will look deeper into that word next time.
But, in the meantime, let this be a challenge to YOU. Provoke yourself to good works and commit to memorizing Scripture. Start with your favorite verses. Repeat them every day—make it a habit to occupy your mind with TRUTH. Proceed to memorizing whole passages … or chapters. Memorize as much as you can KEEP. The future YOU will surely thank you!
“I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in Thy statutes; I WILL NOT FORGET THY WORD.” (Psalm 119:15-16 KJV)
(Part 1 of 2)
