Picking a favorite Bible verse is very challenging when you come to know and love the Word so much. It’s right up there with picking just one favorite song for me—I have so many that have encouraged me and that resonate with me.

Picking favorite books out of the Bible is challenging, too, especially since the more you read it, the more you see how it all ties together, and then even the books that may at first seem “pointless” to you will begin inspiring you. It can take time to get to that point in understanding the Bible, though, so don’t feel too bad if it all doesn’t make sense to you yet—just don’t give up your studying of it! The Holy Spirit will reveal more and more to you each time when you’re seeking Him like that. I also have a whole post on this and how I have learned to study the Bible, so check it out here if that’s something you want to learn more about.

Though all of the Bible is precious, like anything, we all develop those special relationships with books that have especially encouraged us or that jump out at us. If you are wanting to study the Bible but don’t have any parameters in place as to where to study it, where would you go? You’d probably return to those areas you know and treasure most. I can’t emphasize the importance of studying the entire Bible enough, but if you are new to studying it or have been studying it forever and maybe feel lost as to what to study next, I think it can be worth revisiting your favorites especially because reading the Bible is not merely about knowledge. The whole reason we study it again and again is to not just know what it says but do what it says. You can’t just read your favorites once and forget about them or what meaning will they give to your life? I hear sometimes of people who, in addition to whatever their regular Bible study might be, will then also read a chapter or chapters out of their favorite book, like Psalms or Proverbs, and I think that’s a great idea.

I want to share my five favorite books of the Bible that have stood out to me most over the years and that I have benefitted so deeply from. These are books I know I could turn to anytime—and really NEED to—for continual encouragement and reminders. I obviously have many more favorites than these, and which ones are most special to me can vary based on where I’m at sometimes, but I think this is a pretty solid list of my continual favorites.

1. Psalms

I’m pretty sure every Christian loves the Psalms and they’re a favorite for many, but that’s for good reason! Plus, with there being so many of them, you really have a huge amount of depth you can study, meditate on, and soak into your life. These are really good for learning to cope with the emotions of everyday life, as David and the other authors of these do not shy away from venting their feelings completely to God, and that’s so amazing, to learn that sort of vulnerability with Him. I studied these a lot during high school because that’s when I struggled the most with my emotions and in my relationship with God, so the Psalms brought me needed comfort and also permission to be honest with God. Using David’s model of how he vents and encourages himself in God is so vital to anyone’s life, and these range from all sorts of emotions he felt and problems he had, so you can definitely find several that are relevant to you. Many of my Scripture Lullabies that I listen to at night (which I’ve talked about here) are over verses and passages from the Psalms.

2. Ecclesiastes

I have to admit that this is not a book I have normally turned to for awhile except for when I go through the Bible chronologically with my study Bible, but nevertheless, it has been one of the books that has impacted me most and that I often call to mind. I’ve actually written an entire blog post going through this book and what it means, but it’s basically the “meaning to life” book where King Solomon, whom everyone remembers as being the wealthiest and wisest king ever, goes through every aspect of life and declares it all meaningless, concluding that the only thing appropriate for man to do that has any meaning is to love and obey God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). I just think that this is such an important lesson to grasp, if not THE fundamental one for all of us. I mean, really—it is. Our duty, like that verse says, is to fear God and keep His commands. That’s what we were created for!

Not to go off on a tangent here, but when I really think about that, how us being created by and for Him is our whole purpose, it just blows my mind how we’ve gotten it so wrong. The audacity of all of us to just assume life is about us, to go out and make our way in the world trying to fulfill all OUR goals and dreams and desires and whims…it’s like, of course that’s an empty pursuit, yet we act so shocked when it is. I act so shocked when it is. And then, as if that isn’t bad enough, we have the sheer stupidity/ignorance to turn around and accuse God for not making life the way we want it or for not doing things the way we want or we just don’t think about Him that much. It’s like how.even. can that happen??? WE were made for HIM! It is literally our genetic makeup that we are created for Him—and then some people will still turn on Him and scoff at that and pout about it or think it’s selfish and what not. It’s just insanity, honestly, but I’ve been just as guilty of it. I think what people need, more than anything, is to recognize Him for who He is and respond accordingly—WITH YOUR WHOLE LIFE! Because that is literally what your life is for—everything else is just additives you’re also meant to give back to Him!

Alright, I kept it to a paragraph so I’m proud. I’m just saying that if the wisest and richest person didn’t find any meaning in life other than through God, you won’t either.

3. Song of Solomon

Now moving on to a lighter note! I better think carefully before I type here—do I act my immature age or…? Okay but really, whoever says the Bible is boring has never read this book. Anyway, this is actually a book I truly love and cherish, and I’m not just saying that because I wanted to put it on here for comedic reasons or anything like that. I think I’ve said it before, but I’ve probably just skimmed the surface: this book is about sex. Also, it’s not just any book about sex like other instances in the Bible where it’s recorded as taking place or what not; this a full-on celebration of sex between a husband and wife. The husband and writer of this is actually—you guessed it—good ole Solomon in his youth, back when he was head over heels in love with only one girl before he ended his life with a million wives. And that is also another thing that proves the best, most passionate and complete sex is in marriage between a man and woman for the glory of God—cheap or “casual sex” (like that even exists) will never fulfill. Not truly. This book shows how the beauty of sex was made by showing who it was made for—God’s children—and when it was designed to take place—in marriage, after the commitment for a loving and godly relationship. And another ludicrous concept is how we can think of sex as being less than or shameful once you bring God into it. Um, no, shameful sex is exactly what happens when God is no longer a part of it—when you’re not honoring it the way He designed for it to be and perverting it through self-centered lusts. God intends for you to enjoy everything that is good to the fullest under Him—and that includes sex.

It is so important nowadays that everyone learns to develop a healthy view of sexuality, and that only comes when—DUH—you look to the Creator for it. Sex wasn’t meant to be something viewed as wrong, but there is absolutely so much more to it than fulfilling lusts. A healthy view of sexuality goes hand in hand with a healthy emotional state and relationship with God. The more you learn about sex, the more you learn about God and the relationship He wants with you since He used marriage as the comparison to which He loves the church. So if you want to have the best, most fulfilling marriage and sex life, you’ve got to study it with Him at the center. Song of Solomon provides a ton of metaphors and imagery for this couple really enjoying one another sexually, which obviously my age appreciates, but it’s so much deeper than just learning about sex to satisfy hormonal curiosity. Learning about it in whatever stage you’re in helps you gain that perspective on how great it is supposed to be, how He created us for it, and more than anything, how it’s that deep relational intimacy we want with Him and with others. And in a world full of downright disgusting ideas about sex, one of the biggest things you can do for your mental health, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and future relationships of all sorts is to gain a healthy, godly perspective on sex and intimacy. I’m so thankful God made this part of the Bible because without it, we probably would just sweep sex under the rug even more than we already do, and it would be perverted and disgraced all the more. Learning about healthy intimacy traces back to all areas of life and who we are at our very core—don’t shy away from this.

4. Romans

Romans is one of the apostle Paul’s many books he wrote, but this one is the longest and has so much depth and fundamental truth in it. That’s not to imply that his others don’t—he had a great mind and was also skilled with writing, but there is just so much goodness to study again and again in Romans. This book is one of those I do like to turn to individually when I don’t know what else to study and just go through it chapter by chapter. He covers so many important truths that we need to be reflecting on continually—salvation by grace, God’s unconditional love, and so much along those lines. So many life-changing, encouraging verses come out of this: Romans 8:31, Romans 8:38-39… It’s been too long since I’ve studied it because I know I used to remember more about it, but this is an amazing book for Christians at any stage in their journey because it introduces all those fundamental concepts of salvation and grace and remains completely relevant and insightful no matter how much you grow. I could study this constantly and glean some new treasure and insight from it every time.

5. John

John is the fourth of the four Gospels, and I’ve heard this is the book recommended first for new Christians to study. That totally makes sense, and I would also add that it should be the “last”—that book we return to again and again because its insights and truths are never not relevant. All four Gospels are essentially recording the same narrative of Jesus Christ and vary slightly in terms of their writer and what they record and choose to emphasize, since each writer had a slightly different purpose in mind for writing their Gospels. John, for instance, was written to showcase that Jesus is the Son of God. That’s not to say that the other three Gospels didn’t do that because they absolutely did, but that was the overarching emphasis throughout this one so the narrative would’ve been focused most on those details pertaining to Him being the Son of God. I have the most Scripture memorized from this book and there’s so many foundational verses that could be my favorites: John 1:1, John 6:35; John 13:7; John 14:6; John 14:27; John 16:22; John 16:33. John 3:16!!!!! Literally just looking up those references to make sure I had them right, I caught glimpses of the verses surrounding them and my heart just squeezed; the Bible is so amazing and this book will certainly overwhelm you in a good way with the goodness and glory of God. You could definitely study and meditate on this forever—and we should.

So many other books came to my mind that I love, too, such as Proverbs, James, Galatians, Corinthians… Peters… But that’s for another day. I’d love to hear your favorite books and what you think of these!! It is for sure true that the Bible is a treasure we should be craving—and if you don’t crave it, then ask God to help you and just begin studying it. The more you are in it, the more it can and will bless your life and cleanse you from the inside out, which is the most beautiful thing in the world. This is God’s voice! This is what—Who—we were made for! I’m so thankful to Him for His Word and who He is.