The Best 66 Books of the Bible Lyrics for Memorization

The 66 Books of the Bible lyrics have helped millions of children and adults memorize every book of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation in a way that simply sticks. Whether you’re a Sunday school teacher looking for a fun classroom tool or a parent wanting to help your child memorize Scripture at home, these songs turn what feels like a big task into something genuinely enjoyable.

Covering all 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books in perfect order, the best Bible books song transforms rote learning into joyful worship. With catchy melodies and clear lyric videos widely available, learning every book of God’s Word has never been more accessible or more fun.

What Are the “66 Books of the Bible” Lyrics?

According to Lifeway Research (2022), only 45% of Protestant churchgoers read their Bible more than once a week which is exactly why structured memorization tools like Bible books songs rank among the highest-priority teaching activities in children’s ministry. A melody a 7-year-old hears six times on a Sunday morning embeds itself in a way that a flashcard simply can’t replicate.

Dave Godfrey’s “66 Books 1 Author” — Structure and Full Book List

This is the version most people are hunting for when they land on a lyrics page. Dave Godfrey wrote it for children’s ministry, and Song Solutions Daybreak holds the publishing rights under CCLI license #4404367.

The specific poetic arrangement and melodic phrasing are protected by CCLI copyright. Reproducing the exact proprietary text requires a valid CCLI license which most churches already hold. You can verify your coverage and download the official word-for-word lyrics, chord charts, and lead sheets through CCLI Song Select .

What isn’t copyrightable and what every version of this song is fundamentally built around is the ordered list of the 66 books themselves. That list is ancient and belongs to no one. look if you’re prepping for class tonight and just need the books in order to follow along, sing, or teach from, here is every book the song covers:

Old Testament , 39 Books

Genesis · Exodus · Leviticus · Numbers · Deuteronomy · Joshua · Judges · Ruth · 1 Samuel · 2 Samuel · 1 Kings · 2 Kings · 1 Chronicles · 2 Chronicles · Ezra · Nehemiah · Esther · Job · Psalms · Proverbs · Ecclesiastes · Song of Solomon · Isaiah · Jeremiah · Lamentations · Ezekiel · Daniel · Hosea · Joel · Amos · Obadiah · Jonah · Micah · Nahum · Habakkuk · Zephaniah · Haggai · Zechariah · Malachi

New Testament , 27 Books

Matthew · Mark · Luke · John · Acts · Romans · 1 Corinthians · 2 Corinthians · Galatians · Ephesians · Philippians · Colossians · 1 Thessalonians · 2 Thessalonians · 1 Timothy · 2 Timothy · Titus · Philemon · Hebrews · James · 1 Peter · 2 Peter · 1 John · 2 John · 3 John · Jude · Revelation

That’s 39 + 27 = 66. The chorus of Godfrey’s version reinforces this arithmetic explicitly — it’s clever teaching design, not a decorative lyrical flourish.

[EXTERNAL LINK: CCLI SongSelect → official source for full licensed lyrics, chord charts, and lead sheets] [EXTERNAL LINK: Song Solutions Daybreak → publisher and originator of CCLI #4404367] [INTERNAL LINK: How CCLI Licensing Works for Sunday School → “check your church’s CCLI coverage”]

Rob Biagi’s Books of the Bible Rap — How It Works

Rob Biagi’s version takes a completely different approach. And that’s precisely the point.Where Godfrey’s song is melodic, worship-adjacent, and functional across age groups, Biagi’s is built for the kid who checks out the moment things slow down. It’s a rap. It moves fast. It works.

How the Biagi rap is structured:

• A short spoken intro establishing the 66-book total
• Old Testament books delivered in grouped sets: Law, History, Poetry, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets
• A clear beat shift marking the New Testament transition
• A closing recap hook that reinforces the full sequential list

Or maybe I should say it this way it’s less a children’s singalong and more a track. That distinction matters when you’re choosing between a worship service and a high-energy games night.

Colin Buchanan, JumpStart3, and Other Popular Versions

Colin Buchanan’s “66 Books In the Bible” (available on Spotify and Apple Music, released 2020) is the version most common in Australian and UK church settings. It has a folk-pop feel acoustic guitar, singalong chorus, a tempo slow enough for young children to follow individual book names as they’re sung. Homeschool communities in particular have gravitated to it because Spotify access sidesteps CCLI complexity entirely.

JumpStart3 isn’t technically a song at all. It’s a visual curriculum that pairs with songs like Godfrey’s, using projected images and guided hand-motion sequences to add kinesthetic and visual channels to what audio alone provides. Used together, they reach auditory, visual, and physical learners in a single session.

Godfrey vs Biagi

“66 Books 1 Author” (Godfrey) vs “Books of the Bible Rap” (Biagi): Godfrey’s version suits worship settings and younger children (ages 4–10) because its melody is broadly accessible and it carries full CCLI licensing. Biagi’s rap works better for older elementary students (8–12) in high-energy KidMin contexts. The key difference is tone and pacing   both cover all 66 books in canonical order.

Quick Comparison

Version	Best For	Key Benefit	Limitation
Dave Godfrey – 66 Books 1 Author	All ages, Sunday school, worship settings	CCLI-licensed; gentle melody; widely recognised	Full lyrics require CCLI SongSelect access
Rob Biagi – Books of the Bible Rap	Ages 8–12, high-energy KidMin settings	Fast-paced rap format engages reluctant learners	Not on CCLI; licensing must be confirmed separately
Colin Buchanan – 66 Books In the Bible	Homeschool, UK/Australian church contexts	Acoustic folk feel; Spotify-accessible; no CCLI needed	Less common in North American KidMin materials
JumpStart3 Visual Curriculum	Multi-sensory classroom learning	Combines projected visuals + hand motions with any song	Curriculum purchase required; not a standalone track

How to Memorize All 66 Books Using These Songs

The research on memory formation says otherwise. What accelerates retention is spaced repetition combined with multisensory input hearing the song, seeing the words written out, and moving the body. Teachers who pair a Bible books song with hand motions and a printed word list consistently report faster results than those relying on audio alone.

To memorize all 66 books of the Bible using a Bible books song:

1. Listen first play the song 3–5 times without trying to memorize. Let familiarity develop naturally.
2. Follow the printed list use the ordered book list above while listening, connecting eye and ear simultaneously.
3. Add hand motions assign a simple gesture to each Testament (left hand = OT, right hand = NT).
4. Cover and recall hide the list and sing from memory; check mistakes immediately.
5. Practice in short bursts five minutes three times a week outperforms a single 30-minute session consistently.

I’ve seen conflicting data on how long complete memorization takes some curricula claim four weeks, others say eight to twelve. My read is that six weeks of consistent weekly practice, with any parental reinforcement at home, is a realistic target for children ages 6–10. Individual results vary considerably.

One point most guides skip entirely: children often learn to recite all 66 books without understanding what kind of writing each one contains. Pairing the song with a basic introduction to Bible genres Law, History, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels, Epistles gives kids a framework that helps them actually navigate passages later. That’s the difference between a party trick and genuine Bible literacy.

Teaching Tips for Sunday School and Children’s Ministry

the song itself isn’t the lesson. It’s the hook that makes the lesson stick.Teachers who get the most consistent results use Bible books songs as a weekly ritual same song, same moment in the session, every week for a full term rather than a one-off activity in a Bible unit. Consistency moves information from short-term recall into long-term memory far more reliably than a single intense session ever will.

Hand motions that work across all versions:

• Pat knees on every Old Testament book name
• Clap on every New Testament book name
• Stand up when the chorus hits (the “39 + 27” section in Godfrey’s version)
• Freeze on “Revelation” children love a defined ending moment

Some experts argue that rote memorization without comprehension is counterproductive — that a child who can recite 66 books but can’t explain the difference between a Gospel and an Epistle hasn’t learned anything meaningful. That’s valid in high school discipleship contexts. But if you’re working with 6-year-olds, phonological familiarity with book names is a genuine cognitive foundation. Recognition has to precede understanding, and a song builds recognition faster than almost any other tool.

FAQs

Conclusion

The song 66 Books of the Bible serves as an effective educational tool that helps listeners memorize the names and order of all 66 books of the Bible. Through its simple melody and repetitive structure, it makes learning easier and more enjoyable, especially for children and beginners.

In conclusion, the song not only improves memory of the Bible’s structure but also encourages greater familiarity with Scripture. By presenting the books in a fun and engaging way, it helps learners build a strong foundation for further Bible study and understanding.