Why do we need to memorize God’s Word?
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you Psalm
Psalm 119:11
Reading and studying Scripture are vital—but they are not substitutes for memorizing God’s Word. God calls his people to hide his Word within their hearts so that his truth shapes our thoughts, desires, emotions, and actions. Memorization is not optional; it’s essential.
When we commit Scripture to memory, we are conformed to Christ, equipped to resist sin and Satan, prepared to encourage others, ready to share the gospel, and able to commune deeply with God throughout the day, wherever we are.
This may mean memorizing a single verse, a chapter, or even an entire book of the Bible. Memorizing is how we take up “the sword of the Spirit”—the Word of God—in daily life. To neglect this discipline is to be like a soldier entering battle without a weapon. Few practices are more practical, or more rewarding, than storing up God’s Word in our hearts.
Scripture 1.19.