Seventeen verses on memory from the psalms, where remembering is something both people and God do.
Remembering runs through the psalms in two directions. People remember what God has done, often when the present is hard. And people ask God to remember: his mercies, his people and how short a life is. Two headings use the idea directly: Psalm 38 is headed for a memorial and Psalm 70 is headed a reminder. The psalms are also honest about loss and about being forgotten.
Four groups follow: remembering God's deeds, asking God to remember, God remembering us, and memory in grief and loss. Tick any verse to print it for a memorial, an anniversary or your own use. This page is scripture, not a substitute for support in grief.
Verses where remembering is a deliberate act, often chosen in hard times.
Praise the LORD, my soul,and don’t forget all his benefits,
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Praise the LORD, my soul, and don't forget all his benefits. The next verses list them, so the remembering is done as well as urged.
I will remember the LORD’s deeds;for I will remember your wonders of old.
I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will remember the LORD's deeds. Two verses earlier the psalmist asked whether God had forgotten to be gracious, and memory is the answer he chooses.
Remember his marvelous works that he has done:his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
Remember his marvelous works. The rest of Psalm 105 retells Israel's story from the covenant with Abraham to the gift of the land.
I remember the days of old.I meditate on all your doings.I contemplate the work of your hands.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
I remember the days of old and meditate on all your doings. It comes just after the writer says the enemy has made him live in dark places.
He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered.The LORD is gracious and merciful.
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered. The verse says God himself makes sure his works are not forgotten.
Prayers that ask God to keep someone or something in mind.
LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness,for they are from old times.
Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Remember your tender mercies and loving kindness, for they are from old times. The request is that God remember his own character.
Remember me, LORD, with the favor that you show to your people.Visit me with your salvation,
Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
Remember me, LORD, with the favor you show to your people. A personal request placed inside a long confession that we have sinned with our fathers.
Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old,which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance:Mount Zion, in which you have lived.
Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old. It is asked from a burned sanctuary, as a reason for God to act.
Remember how short my time is,for what vanity you have created all the children of men!
Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
Remember how short my time is. The writer asks God to keep the brevity of a human life in view.
Verses that say God does remember.
For he who avenges blood remembers them.He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted.
When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
He doesn't forget the cry of the afflicted. Remembering here is tied to justice for those who suffered.
The LORD remembers us. He will bless us.He will bless the house of Israel.He will bless the house of Aaron.
The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
The LORD remembers us. He will bless us. Remembering comes first and blessing follows.
who remembered us in our low estate,for his loving kindness endures forever;
Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Who remembered us in our low estate. Even here the psalm's refrain follows: his loving kindness endures forever.
For he knows how we are made.He remembers that we are dust.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
He remembers that we are dust. God's memory of human weakness stands next to the verse about his compassion as a father.
For remembering people and places that are gone. These verses do not hurry past the loss.
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me,how I used to go with the crowd, and led them to God’s house,with the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me. The memory is of worship with a crowd, and it hurts because it is past.
Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you,if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you. A vow not to forget a lost home, made by people in exile.
For he will never be shaken.The righteous will be remembered forever.
Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
The righteous will be remembered forever. The KJV reads, the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
For in death there is no memory of you.In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
The writer asks to be spared because in death there is no memory of God and no thanks. The verse does not soften what death looked like to him.
Two headings use the idea. Psalm 38 is headed A Psalm by David, for a memorial, and Psalm 70 is headed By David. A reminder. Both are prayers from trouble: Psalm 38 confesses sin and sickness, and Psalm 70 asks God to hurry to help. The headings do not explain how the psalms were used.
Several verses fit a memorial or an anniversary. Psalm 103:15 to 17 sets the shortness of a life, like grass and a flower of the field, beside the LORD's loving kindness from everlasting to everlasting. Psalm 112:6 says the righteous will be remembered forever. Psalm 90:12 asks, teach us to count our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
A psalm where remembering is the main act: remembering God's deeds, as in Psalm 77 and Psalm 105, or asking God to remember, as in Psalm 25:6 and Psalm 106:4.
Psalm 103:2: praise the LORD, my soul, and don't forget all his benefits. The verses after it list those benefits.
Psalm 103:15 to 17 and Psalm 90 both set the shortness of a life against God's lasting love and presence. The page on psalms for funerals has more.
Psalm 112:6. The KJV wording is, the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
Psalms for FuneralsPsalms for Grief and the Loss of a Loved OnePsalms about DeathPsalms About God's FaithfulnessPsalms of Thanksgiving and ThankfulnessPsalms of Lament