The Benefits of Bible Verse Songs

As a young Christian we sang Bible songs such as "I am the Resurrection and the Life," "Behold, Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock, Knock, Knock," and "I Know Whom I have Believed." For many of them I didn't even know I was singing Scripture. But when once I read the verses in the Bible, I found I already knew them.

Bible verse songs are a wonderful means of memorizing Scripture. When the words of the Bible are locked into the rhythm of a song, this makes it much easier to learn them. Commercial products have capitalized on this truth. I can still recall advertising songs I learned as a child over 50 years ago!

Of course, Scripture was not written as metric rhyming poetry and this makes it more difficult to match the words to a melody. How to do that is the subject of another article. But when it is done well, the words flow with the tune and each note demands the correct word.

Learning Bible verse songs also helps us remember the verses. I can recall numerous times when I think of a verse while speaking and can quote it exactly. However, as I do so, I am mentally singing to song quickly so I get the words right. I was able to remember it because of the rhythm of the song.

Several years ago I taught third grade in a Christian school. Some of my students had difficulty learning the memory verse for the day and I wanted to help them. The answer was music. Singing the verse aided them in both learning and retaining it.

Bible verse songs also provide a means of meditating on the Scripture. The song plays over and over in my mind and so do the words. Verses have come to mind in this way that were just what I needed for a given situation.

A song can actually clarify the mean of a verse. An example of this is found in a verse that, in the KJV, contains a misplaced modifier, 2 Corinthians 5:21. The verse reads, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." Obviously, Paul is not teaching that we are sinless, but Christ is. The song for this verse, by repeating the words, clarifies this.

Bible Songs are also effective means of presenting the Gospel. One year I taught my class all the verses for the Roman's Road plan of salvation and they sang them for a parents' assembly. Any unsaved people who were present heard God's way of salvation without a sermon.

The final advantage of Bible verse songs is their aid to those of us who are getting older. I find it much more difficult to memorize anything and retain it now than I did when I was younger. However, I can still remember a song and through this means can learn and retain verses.