Did you know that learning how to memorize Psalms is the same as etching divine poetry into your mind?
It is.
But you should also know that there are no shortcuts. And the people talking about various tricks to memorize lines of scripture sound like they’re laying out pipe dreams.
I’ve memorized Psalms personally and helped my students do the same with reasonable ease and accuracy.
I’ll share what we’ve done to make it work, including a demonstration from someone who used my approach to deliver a Psalm from memory in front of a congregation.
You’ll also hear from another student who approached the memorization task in a slightly different way.
So if you’re thinking that it’s not possible to memorize so much scripture, rest assured that it is.
The key is to explore multiple ways of doing it.
And experiment for yourself with an open mind.
Ready for everything I’ve learned over the years I’ve been teaching people to do this?
Let’s dive in!
How to Memorize Psalms: 4 Realistic Approaches
As the author of How to Learn and Memorize the Psalms, I originally focused on using one technique in particular.
It’s call the Memory Palace technique and I’ll share it with you today.
But after seeing students like Mike McKinley and Matt Barclay succeed by adding additional approaches, I knew I had to update my teaching.
I also spoke with the actor Ashley Strand about his approach. He has memorized and recites the entire Book of Mark live.
So in addition to share how I’ve personally memorized scripture, updating my approach with what I’ve learned from other people who have successfully memorized Psalms is what this post is all about.
As we go through the various tactics, I suggest considering them all and experimenting with the ones that appeal most.
Over time, spend time with each of them. As we know from studies in active recall, taking on new challenges is a key part of long-term memory formation.
One: The Memory Palace Technique
A Memory Palace lets you use a familiar location to associate lines of scripture you want to remember in your mind. It’s an alternative to rote learning.
More than an alternative, thinking about fun images along a familiar journey is much more interesting. St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas both used the technique too. That means when we use it, we’re in good company.
Because there are 150 Psalms in total, I personally decided the Memory Palace technique would be best.
This choice has to do with more than the fact that I find Memory Palaces more fun that rote memorization.
It’s also practical considering the volume of information involved. Using one Memory Palace per Psalm allows for enough space for many lines of text with highly dynamic associations (sometimes called mnemonic images).
The other benefit of using a Memory Palace is that it enables you to perform a stable version of spaced repetition.
The Steps Involved In Using A Memory Palace For Memorizing Psalms
As I discuss in my book, the steps are straightforward:
- Develop your first Memory Palace
- Divide the Psalm into smaller parts (this is called chunking down)
- Assign vivid images that remind you of the specific words with your Memory Palace
- Use the journey method to revisit the Memory Palace as many times as you need to develop recall
- Expand or add more Memory Palaces as needed
- Write each Psalm from memory by hand to speed up the retention process
An Example Of Associating Words For The Psalms In A Memory Palace
Have a look at this room with some unusual associations in it:
Now, normally, you would not see an eye above an elevator next to your television set.
But because Psalm 121 start with, “I lift my eyes to the mountains,” this kind of mnemonic association works perfectly.
On your next station, you could have an image of a famous mountain range. As you follow the journey in your Memory Palace, you simply let the images you place trigger the exact words of the Psalm.
Of course, you might be wondering, what about little words like “the,” or “if,” etc.
These are quite simple. I usually use Thor for any “th” word that serves as an operator. In my course on memorizing poetry, I include a whole list of examples for words like these, but you’ll ultimately do best if you come up with your won.
To get started with that, it’s as simple as writing out the alphabet and connecting as many people, objects and actions as you can come up with to each letter.
You can also use substitution, such as an “eye” for “I” as in this example for Psalm 121.
Although this approach requires discipline and deliberate practice, if the method suits you, the payoff will be tremendous.
But “heavy duty mnemonics” like I love to use is not the only approach. As you’re about to discover, some of my students approach things differently, and in astonishingly successful ways.
Two: Mike McKinley’s Contemplation Method
Sometime after Mike McKinley finished my Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass, I reached out for some feedback. We wound up speaking on the phone for quite some time.
He loved the course, but told me that he approached memorizing 66 Psalms in a somewhat different way.
As you can hear in our discussion, something like a Memory Palace was involved. But a lot of his approach involved contemplating each Psalm deeply.
If I can summarize Mike’s experience and add a few nuances I’ve learned since, here are the steps involved in effective memory verse work using contemplation.
- Start by contemplating the meaning of each Psalm, ideally in a quiet place
- Consider the emotions, concepts and any references to other parts of the Bible the Psalm makes
- Recite the Psalm quietly in your mind or aloud
- Make an emotional connection as you contemplate and recite
- Integrate your recitation with prayer
- Speak about the Psalms you’re memorizing frequently
In sum, to use this method you are working to internalize each Psalm by understanding the words, engaging with it emotionally and using repetition mindfully.
As an additional strategy, its useful to work with the Psalms daily, in the same location and at the same time of day.
That’s true whether you are using a Memory Palace or working more freely, like Mike.
Three: Matt Barclay’s Hybrid Approach
I’ll never forget the day Matt Barclay sent me a link to one of his church’s Sunday congregations on Facebook.
He bravely stood before everyone and recited most of a Psalm from memory.
Of course, I’ve seen many of my students complete demonstrations like this before.
What blew me away was Matt’s story. He was using memory techniques at the time to help him recover from memory loss caused by a cardiac arrest.
You can see him recite the Psalm and share his story in this episode of my podcast:
Matt used a Memory Palace, but also tips he learned from Harry Lorayne.
Lorayne’s approach is similar to my own, but I can definitely see how that particular set of mnemonic strategies was useful for Matt.
That’s partly because Lorayne focused a lot on pegwords and the Major System.
Frankly, I think I helped inspire Matt more than anything else. And I’m very glad that he had resources from multiple Memory Palace books to help turn his memory loss around.
In sum, Matt’s approach can be reproduced easily. In addition to using Memory Palaces:
- Focus more on using the story method and linking
- Use a lot of humorous and unusual images
- Exaggerate each image
- Have the images you use interact in weird ways
The difference between Matt’s approach and the classic Magnetic Memory Method isn’t huge.
But Matt focused a lot more on Lorayne’s suggestions than I tend to do, probably because I don’t have a strong mind’s eye and have borderline aphantasia.
Four: How An Actor Memorized The Entire Book of Mark
Although the books of the Bible are not Psalms, Ashley Strand’s experience will be useful for you.
As with Mike McKinley, Ashley focused a lot on understanding the meaning of the Scripture.
As you’ll discover when listening to him, he brings an actor’s touch to analyzing the meaning.
He also uses a lot of choreography, literally moving around to help establish the memories. His use of mnemonics is astonishingly light, though it is present.
To summarize the tips I learned from speaking with him:
- Incorporate as much physical movement as possible
- Deeply analyze the motivations of the lines, not just the meanings
- Study the rhythm and melody of each line
- Recite frequently
- Practice performing the Psalms in front of others
- Do not worry about making mistakes
This final point is crucial because Ashley sometimes does make mistakes during his performances.
But he makes it part of the fun by involving his audience. At least one or two attendee follows the scripture as he recites it, helping him out if he gets lost or makes a mistake.
You might wish to be word perfect, but that’s not always realistic.
It’s also not necessary in order to become deeply familiar with the Psalms and recite them well.
With that point in mind, let’s look at the benefits of the Psalm memorization journey overall.
The Benefits Of Memorizing Psalms Daily
Now that you have different ways to approach memorizing Psalms, let’s look at the many benefits you can expect to enjoy.
Spiritual Benefits
As I tell my students who start with the project, every word you memorize puts you closer to your creator.
Even just following the steps helps you create a deeper connection.
You also have material to work with from memory in your prayer and meditation.
And when you need guidance in this difficult word, you have specific Psalms to call upon.
Cognitive Benefits
As you work on memorizing Psalms, your attention and focus will improve. Your mental agility will increase thanks to using a variety of approaches like we’ve discussed today.
Memory enhancement is a clear and obvious win, but you’ll also specifically exercise semantic memory.
That’s the type of memory that helps you remember vocabulary, facts and dates. It’s wonderful to improve this area for better results in many areas of life.
Since you’re memorizing Scripture verbatim, you’ll improve your language skills as well, including textual comprehension.
Emotional & Psychological Benefits
As this study shows, interacting with others who share your beliefs helps you become a more responsible person.
You’ll get even more benefits from memorizing scripture when you’re able to recite Psalms from memory.
Take Matt Barclay as an example. He’s now regularly holding classes on how to memorize Psalms. The benefit to his community helps him practice his own moral character.
All while improving community bonding and social cohesion.
Exercising your memory regularly can also help stop anxiety-related memory loss.
Then there’s the educational value. The more you know, the more resources you can draw upon. Knowledge leads to improved confidence and decision making.
Personal Development Benefits
I’ve noticed personally that my daily memory practice has increased my discipline.
It also helps you foster patience and perseverance.
As with the example of teaching others how to memorize, when you become a more patient and tolerant person, you can help others be that way too. Even if they’re not memorizing the Psalms themselves, your experience in doing so will make you a powerful resource for people struggling with various aspects of life.
Then there’s increased mindfulness. You really can’t put a price on the value of being able to pay more attention to what really matters in life.
With all these benefits in mind, let’s now discuss the problems you might face.
The Roadblocks to Memorizing Psalms (With Easy Solutions)
Since there are no magic bullets, you will encounter obstacles.
I certainly have, and that’s why I’m happy to share with you some of the best solutions I’ve discovered along the way.
Lack of Time
As you’ve seen, it’s helpful to memorize Psalms at the same time and location daily.
But not everyone can do that. I’ve gone through periods where I’ve had to travel or deal with other disruptions.
To keep making progress, I have:
- Been satisfied to work on only one line, or even just one word, in any given session
- Memorize while commuting
- Practice recall while exercises
- Generally treating each step as a small goal with modest expectations
As a result of being willing to use the time I have, I’ve memorized over 1700 words of Scripture.
Difficulty with Retention
It’s easy to get frustrated when you forget, especially when you don’t have as memory champion friends as I do. (They also forget regularly despite having tremendous skills.)
There are many solutions to improving retention. They include:
- Use software like Anki
- Practice individual lines with flashcards
- Incorporate Cloze tests while practicing recall
- Make sure you have reduced distractions while memorizing and practicing recall
- Focus on adding more emotional engagement
- Take frequent breaks
- Revisit your schedule and see if adding more structure to your plan helps
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But if none of the above work, you could seek coaching to help make sure you have external motivation and keep approaching the project realistically.
Feeling Overwhelmed by Sheer Volume
Personally, I have found that the best way to deal with the clear and obvious overwhelm is to simply call a spade a spade.
Just one Psalm is a lot of text. You can use a journal to help with thinking reflectively about why you feel overwhelmed in the face of such an obvious fact.
I’m not trying to be flippant when I make these suggestions. I could easily be overwhelmed by my own memory projects too.
But I’ve learned to not fall prey to such thinking when the answer is obvious. Overwhelm is real.
Yet, by using tools like The Freedom Journal, I’ve discovered that my passion for memorizing is bigger than the well-deserved overwhelm.
Plus, as we already discussed, it’s important to break things down. There are many days where I’ve only managed to memorize one new word.
In addition to simply accepting that some things in life are indeed overwhelming, the willingness to be happy with incremental results is the ultimate response to overwhelm.
Getting Started Will Establish A Routine With Instilling The Psalms
I guess the other biggest way to deal with overwhelm is to simply get started.
Once you’re on the path, it really just comes down to making your chosen method routine.
Memorize as frequently as you can and practice recalling the Psalms as often as possible. Write them out from memory for additional benefits.
If you choose to focus on mnemonics as I have done and Matt Barclay has demonstrated works well, consider getting my free course:
It gives you four free videos and three worksheets that walk you through the key mnemonic tools that thousands have used to achieve their goals.
The Memory Palace in particular gives you exercise with spatial memory that will help you experience more space in your memory.
As a result, you’ll enjoy the same ancient memory techniques that many others have used to memorize Scripture throughout history.
Let me know if you have any questions and enjoy this deeply fulfilling and spiritually transformative journey.
You’ve got this!
