Over at the podcast, we’re getting ready to memorize Psalm 23! Pop on over to Scripture Memory with Alicia Podcast to follow along if you’d like.

As you get ready to memorize any of the Psalms we’ll be working through, I want to suggest a great resource to use alongside your Scripture memory. I used it with both Psalm 19 and Psalm 23, and it made my time in the Word so much more fruitful. I’m sure you’ll find it helpful too.

Did you know Psalm 23 is one of the most quoted passages in the Bible? It often appears in movies during moments of reflection or crisis, and it’s commonly read at funerals. Most of you listening have probably memorized the entire psalm—or are at least familiar with it. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I haven’t memorized it yet. I’ve heard many sermons on it and studied it during a Bible class, but I’ve never truly meditated on its truths. That’s why I’m so excited to start memorizing this psalm with you!

Psalm 23 is only six verses long. That’s it, y’all—just six!

📖 As we begin learning Psalm 23, let me encourage you to:

• Read it every day for a week.
• Say it out loud daily.
• Find out who wrote it and to whom.
• Identify the main characters.
• Discover when it was written and why.
• Mark every mention of “the Lord,” including synonyms and pronouns.
• Mark every mention of David and note what you learn about him.
• Read John 10 and identify who the Good Shepherd is.
• Make a list of what you learn about the Lord.
• Make a list of what you learn about David.
• Take time to explore the descriptive words used for the Lord. What do they reveal about His nature and His care?

🧠 To stir your curiosity a bit more, here are some questions to ponder:

• What does a shepherd actually do? Are there different kinds of shepherds?
• If the Bible speaks of a good shepherd, then by contrast, what does a bad shepherd look like? Which one am I following?
• What are sheep like? Why do they need a shepherd?
• Is the Lord truly my shepherd? If not, who have I been following?
• If the Lord is my shepherd, what does that mean for both of us—practically and spiritually?
• And did you notice? The phrase is in the present tense: “The Lord is my shepherd.” So… how does that shape the way I live today?

📚 As I’ve been preparing to dive deeper into Psalm 23, I’ve also been studying outside resources to enrich our understanding. I’ve been using the New Bible Dictionary, tuning into podcasts on Psalm 23, and reading A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller.  Let me encourage you to check out the sermons and also these amazing resources to further your studies on Psalm 23! 

I think that’s plenty to ponder as you prepare to memorize Psalm 23. May your time in the Word be full of insight and rest.

👋 Hey there, Scripture Friends!  Today I’m giving you a peek behind the scenes at how I set up my first letter grids (the secret sauce to memorizing Scripture!). My go-to tool? Good old graphing paper. Why?  It’s simple, reliable, and strangely satisfying.  Hee hee…

There are SOOO many fun ways to build your own first letter grid, and my friend Josh Summers dives deep into them in his blog post - https://www.biblememorygoal.com/memory-methods/first-letter-bible-memory-method-explained/

. I’ve tried several of his approaches already, and now I’m eyeing one of his ideas called the “Print First Letter Review Sheets”, specifically the AI-Powered First Letter Tool.

So, as you gear up to memorize Psalm 19, I encourage you to check out my video, explore Josh’s blog ☝️, and get inspired to personalize your setup. There’s no one right way!

Creating a Review Schedule

i’d love for you to join me on this Scripture memory journey through Psalm 19. To help you start, I put together a quick video that walks through my simple prep process before I jump into memorizing new verses.

🗒️ Step 1: Create Your Overview Page Before I begin active memorization, I read through the passage multiple times. For this Psalm, I 've decided to read it 7 times.  You can choose the number that feels right for you. This step is an important piece because it's like flying above the passage in an airplane, getting a clear aerial view of the chapters landscape.  It helps you start to get a feel for the themes and structure of the passage. 

Each time I read, I check it off (yes, I love my checklists!). It helps me stay on track. It keeps me accountable and prevents that “wait… did I already do this today?” moment. And honestly, there’s no downside to rereading Scripture.

As I read, I jot down the answers to the 5 Ws and H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How), and I highlight any repeated words, those become my keywords.

📅 Step 2: Set Up a Daily Tracker I also like to create a daily checklist so I can see when I started each verse. It’s a simple way to stay motivated and notice patterns in my progress.

📽️ Want a visual? Check out the video! You don’t need to follow my process exactly, but it might spark ideas for how to make your own.

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