The Bible is a cornucopia of literary types. There is history, law, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, gospels, epistles, and apocalyptic literature. When you know the type of literature you can understand it better and read it with that style in mind. Consider the historical and cultural background of the Bible. You need to read each book as if you were one of the author's contemporaries.
Commentaries can fill in the blanks in terms of customs of that time period.
Pay attention to the grammar and structure within a passage. Read each passage closely, noting how the thought of the author progresses. For this reason, it's helpful to have a copy of a literal translation, such as the New American Standard Bible , for serious study. Interpret experiences in the light of Scripture, not vice versa. It's easy to distort the Bible's meaning by allowing your experiences to shape your understanding of a passage rather than the other way around.