Memorize Bible verses with music
Most of us can sing along to hundreds of songs we never tried to learn, yet struggle to recite a single Bible verse. WalkingBible is built on that difference: over 800 Bible passages, each set to its own melody, word for word.
Updated
In short
A melody gives words a shape, a rhythm and a fixed order, which makes them far easier to recall than words read on a page. Sing a Bible verse to a simple tune, repeat it over a few days, and the exact words stay with you, as long as the song uses the verse word for word.
Why a melody helps you remember
A song ties each word to a note and a beat. Once the tune is familiar, it pulls the next word along with it: you know how many syllables come next and roughly how they sound. Plain text has no such scaffold, so a forgotten word leaves a gap.
Research on melody and memory found that words sung to a simple, repeated melody can be recalled better than the same words spoken (Wallace, 1994). The effect depends on the melody being simple and heard often, which is how WalkingBible's songs are written and how the app uses them.
What makes a good Scripture song
Not every worship song helps you learn a verse. The ones that do have four things in common:
- The exact words. If the lyrics paraphrase the verse, you will remember the song rather than the Scripture.
- A simple melody that is easy to pick up after a few listens.
- One passage per song, so each song is a verse you can say on its own.
- A pace slow enough to sing or say along with.
Listen to five
Each of these is the passage sung word for word, in the New King James Version. Play one a few times and try singing it without looking.
Philippians 4:13
God strengthens you so that you can face any situation.
Read it and see the picture →
Matthew 11:28-30
In Jesus' presence you will find peace for your soul and you will be relieved of your burdens.
Read it and see the picture →
How the songs were made
WalkingBible is a private initiative founded by Stefan and Carina in Sweden, and the songs are a team effort that has drawn in people from several countries.
Dan, Matt and William Weeks produced the English songs and spoken-word verses. Between them they have worked as producers and musicians with artists including Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin and Tim Hughes.
The Swedish verses were recorded in Gothenburg: Andreas Tärnvind made the spoken-word and rap versions, and Magnus Boqvist created the music and engineered the recordings.
Learn a verse with a song, step by step
- Pick one verse and play its song three or four times while you read along.
- Sing along with the text in front of you, then sing it once with the text covered.
- Say the verse without the music. The melody will still carry you through the hard parts.
- Sing it again the next day, then after a few days, then after a week. Each time, try it from memory first.
For families, churches and schools
Children pick up songs faster than almost anything else, which makes singing the easiest way to start them on Scripture. The verses for kids page collects short verses with their songs.
The songs may be used in public settings such as churches, schools and Bible groups, as long as the use is non-profit. Written permission is needed for commercial use.
Every song, in the free app
WalkingBible has all 800+ songs, the text and a photograph for each passage, and asks you for every verse just before you would forget it. Free, with no ads and nothing to subscribe to.
Questions
Are the songs word for word?
Yes. Every song sings the Bible passage itself, in the translation it is set in, so learning the song means learning the exact text.
Which Bible translations are the songs in?
The English songs on this site use the New King James Version (NKJV), and the Swedish songs use Bibel 2000.
How many songs are there?
Over 800 Bible passages are set to music, from Genesis to Revelation, each with its own song.
Can churches and schools use the songs?
Yes, in non-profit settings such as churches, schools and Bible groups. Commercial use needs written permission.
Where can I listen?
Every verse page on this site has its song, and the free WalkingBible app has all of them, with a review schedule that brings each verse back just before you would forget it.
Sources
- Wallace, W. T. (1994). Memory for music: Effect of melody on recall of text. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 20(6), 1471–1485. doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.20.6.1471