Psalm 119:140 ISV, which says, “Your word is very pure, and your servant loves it,” is a scripture that conveys the heart of a multitude of African-Americans when it comes to the word of God.

A new State of the Bible survey by American Bible Society reveals that African-Americans have higher levels of Bible engagement than other groups in the U.S., showing a greater affinity for Scripture than most.

The study says 93% of African-Americans own at least one Bible in their homes and 52% are downloading or using a Bible app on a smartphone.

African-Americans with higher levels of Bible engagement are shown to crave even more interaction with the word of God. And half of all African-Americans say they always feel more connected to God when they read His word.

Roy Peterson, president and CEO of American Bible Society, said "The Bible is the source of ultimate hope and joy. People who devote time in it can discover for themselves how the word of God can help make sense of life."

45% percent of African-Americans believe the Bible has too little influence on society, while 83 percent are concerned about the decline in morality compared to 79 percent of all Americans.

A report from Pew Research Center also supports these findings. In this study, black women were found to be the most religious demographic, with 80 percent saying religion is "very important.”

The American Bible Society's nationwide survey was conducted January 2018 in partnership with Barna Group. There were 2,040 interviews done.