The Figure 8 System
"I will meditate on Your precepts, and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word."
Psalm 119:15–16
Tap each principle below to learn the System — start with Principle 1.
Here is the simple rhythm: choose a chapter, then read it once every hour for 8 hours throughout the day. That is one reading. Do that 8 times a day for 8 days. By the end you will have read the passage at least 64 times — and you will be amazed at how naturally it settles into your memory.
This is not rote repetition — it is meditation. Read slowly, prayerfully, and attentively each time. Let the words sit with you. The goal is not to perform the text from memory but to have it written on your heart, as the Psalmist described: "I will meditate on Your precepts" (Psalm 119:15).
Use mornings and evenings to briefly review chapters you have already memorized — just a quick read-through to keep them fresh. On the 9th day, rest from your reading plan and use that day to Test Out with your partner (see Principle 4).
Your Scripture sheet has two sides. The front shows the full text of the passage — read from this during your daily meditations. The back shows Starter Phrases — the first three or four words of each verse. These short phrases are your memory anchors. When you can recall the starter phrase, the rest of the verse follows naturally.
Here is how to use them: say you want to recall Philippians 4:19. Find the nearest primary marker below it — that is verse 16. Recall its starter phrase, then work forward through verses 17, 18, 19 until you arrive. With practice this becomes instant.
Each day, spend a few minutes with the Starter Phrases side of your sheet. Read through them, try to complete each verse from memory, and note where you struggle. Those are the verses to pay extra attention to in your next reading.
As you meditate on a passage day after day, you will naturally find yourself wanting to understand it more deeply. That hunger is the invitation to study. Use your devotional time to read a commentary, explore the historical background, or listen to a sermon on the chapter you are memorizing.
A simple approach: divide the chapter into 8 sections — one per day of your memorization cycle. On day one, study the first section. On day two, the next. By the end of 8 days you will have worked through the passage verse by verse, and your meditation will be far richer for it.
For sermons, SermonAudio.com is a tremendous resource. The writings of Spurgeon, J.C. Ryle, and Jonathan Edwards are also freely available online and pair beautifully with this kind of deep engagement with Scripture.
After 8 days of reading, find a partner and recite the chapter to them from memory. That is Testing Out. It is the moment that transforms familiarity into genuine memorization — and it is one of the most rewarding parts of the entire System.
Do not skip this step. Those who test out consistently make far greater progress than those who move on without it. If you struggle significantly during your recitation, that is fine — take a few more days and try again. The goal is genuine mastery, not speed.
You and your partner can be on completely different chapters and still serve each other well. The partnership is not about synchronization — it is about accountability, encouragement, and the joy of sharing what God has written on your heart.
Scripture Sheets
Choose a translation, book, and chapter. Your sheet appears right here in the app — read it on your phone throughout the day, or download a PDF to print and carry with you.
Choose a translation, book, and chapter above — your sheet will appear here to read on your phone throughout the day, or download as a PDF to print and carry with you.
About
The Figure 8 System and the people behind it.
The Figure 8 Scripture Memory by Meditation System was developed to help believers write God's word on their hearts more effectively than ever before. It is grounded in Psalm 119 and the biblical call to meditate deeply on Scripture.
The system is not a magical formula — it is a set of disciplines. Its power lies in the combination of repetitive meditation, structured memorization, serious study, and relational accountability.
Rush Witt and Tanner Turley — two friends who wanted to make Scripture memory more lasting, and believed that meditation, not just repetition, was the key to writing God's word on the heart for good.
Scripture quotations from CSB, ESV, NASB, and NIV.
Used with permission for ministry use.
My Journey
Every chapter you have tested out of — your Scripture memory record.