# Good songs for scripture memory? Bible verses set to music? (Other than psalters...)



## newperthpastor (Feb 3, 2015)

Hi all. I lead "chapel" for a preschool and afterschool program once per week, and play/teach them songs. It is a teaching time, and not really a "worship" time, but I've posted it in the worship forum because there may be good songs you've heard used in worship that you can recommend. I try to teach them songs that are just straight up bible verses set to song, so when you've learned the song, you've memorized a Bible verse or two.

The ones I know so far are...
1 John 4:7-8
1 John 3:1
Micah 6:8
Psalm 18:3&46
Proverbs 3:5-6
Matthew 6:33 and 7:7
Psalm 95:6-7
Isaiah 43:1-3
Revelation 5:13
Psalm 89:1
The Ten Commandments (abbreviated and paraphrased, but pretty good)

Before you ask, *YES I OWN MANY COPIES OF VARIOUS METRICAL PSALTERS*. (Not yelling, just emphasizing so I don't get a dozen replies to "just use a psalter.") Not what I'm looking for... it's scripture, yes, but paraphrased, out of order words, forced meter, and usually a lot of weird words... like Yoda and David got together and wrote a songbook... too many changes for me to consider it "scripture memory" in the normal sense of the phrase. *I like psalters, and sing from them*, but that is not what I'm looking for in this particular instance... just straight up bible verses set to music.

I've spent quite a bit of time searching the 'net for good sources, but so far haven't come up with anything... anything good, that is. There is actually quite a bit out there, but most of it is musically just awful... bad melodies and weird attempts to force meter.

If you know of any good scripture songs, please let me know what they are. There must be many out there with which I'm unfamiliar, and I would greatly appreciate suggestions. Links to chord charts or sound clips or video clips are appreciated, too.


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## Jeri Tanner (Feb 4, 2015)

Have you heard of Steve Green's Hide Em In Your Heart cd's? They're geared towards kids. I used to own the first volume and it was great. Mark Altrogge has also put out some good Scripture cd's.


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## Jake (Feb 4, 2015)

The best I've heard of prose to music is Mark Altrogge, although you'll have instrumentation and a bunch of repetition. 

Hopefully a quick mention about psalters can still be helpful. If not, you can ignore the proceeding words.  Perhaps combing through psalters could be helpful in finding some good things to use. If you're only singing a verse or two, you can likely find translations to fit your purposes. I can think of plenty of places in the old Scottish Metrical that will be very close to the original and very understandable for children. Or, alternatively, newer translations like the Book of Psalms for Worship have done away with much older language, including the "thees and thous".

Psalm 19C in the BPW comes to mind as a great rendition that doesn't seem to have the problems you mention with psalter renditions for your purposes.


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## Jack K (Feb 4, 2015)

Songs for Saplings - Learning God's Word with Letters


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## thbslawson (Feb 4, 2015)

I've been putting some passages to music lately. Here's the link. I hope this can be of use to you.


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## moral necessity (Feb 4, 2015)

Here are the ones I can recall for now:

Psalm 5:1-3 - Give ear to my words O Lord
Psalm 8:1,9 - Chorus of "How excellent is thy name"
Psalm 18:31,34,2; II Samuel 22:32,2,3 - Who is God besides our Lord
Psalm 32:7 - You are my hiding place
Psalm 51:10-12 - Create in me a clean heart - Keith Green
Psalm 25:1-4,7 - Unto Thee O Lord
Psalm 48:1,2 - Great is the Lord
Psalm 97:1-9 - The Lord reigns
Psalm 100 - Make a joyful noise unto the Lord
Psalm 113:1,3 - From the rising of the sun
Psalm 119:105 - Chorus of "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feat"
Psalm 134:1,2 - Come bless the Lord
Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:10 - chorus of "Hosanna in the highest"

Blessings!


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## newperthpastor (Feb 4, 2015)

These are good resources, fellas. Keep 'em coming! Thanks so much for your help!


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## KSon (Feb 4, 2015)

Piper/Desiring God has their Fighter Verse App, that has a memory program, and verses (ESV) put to music. The tunes are quite catchy and it has been extremely profitable for my daughters as they have sought to memorize Scripture. It is $2.99, but it is the best $2.99 I've spent.


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## BenJL (Feb 9, 2015)

I just found this site a few days ago. http://www.theversesproject.com
It may be beneficial.


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## whirlingmerc (Feb 9, 2015)

There are many 'Fighter Verse" songs on you tube now
Can't beat the price
The songs they have tend to be ESV


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## Free Christian (Feb 9, 2015)

newperthpastor said:


> it's scripture, yes, but paraphrased, out of order words, forced meter, and usually a lot of weird words... like Yoda and David got together and wrote a songbook...





newperthpastor said:


> I like psalters, and sing from them,


 That had a bullseye painted on it.


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## posttenebraslux83 (Feb 9, 2015)

Look up "Seeds Family Worship". They have mutliple albums to help children memorize scripture


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## Dearly Bought (Feb 9, 2015)

I'm interested particularly to know if there are any good albums with such memory songs from the Authorized Version (KJV).


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## reaganmarsh (Feb 10, 2015)

If you don't mind using a Baptist resource, Jim Orrick's recording of the Baptist Catechism has the 10 Commandments in the KJV set to pretty singable tunes. My 6 year old loves them and often sings or hums them to himself while playing. You may purchase it at Founders.


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## newperthpastor (Feb 10, 2015)

reaganmarsh said:


> If you don't mind using a Baptist resource, Jim Orrick's recording of the Baptist Catechism has the 10 Commandments in the KJV set to pretty singable tunes. My 6 year old loves them and often sings or hums them to himself while playing. You may purchase it at Founders.



Got a link?


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## reaganmarsh (Feb 10, 2015)

Here you go: The Baptist Catechism Set to Music | The Press


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