Bible Verses About Depression (KJV)
17 King James Version scriptures on sorrow, God’s presence, and hope, each with a short devotional note. Every verse links to its full chapter. Looking for a specific word or phrase? Search all three translations, or browse every subject on the Topics index.
These verses are offered for comfort and reflection. They are not a substitute for medical or professional care. If you are struggling, please reach out to a doctor, counselor, or trusted person in your life.
Verses for a Broken Heart
Scripture never scolds the downcast for their sorrow. When the psalmist’s soul is “cast down,” he does not deny the weight of it — he speaks honestly to himself and turns toward God. These verses meet you in the low place and promise that the LORD draws near to the broken-hearted rather than away from them.
God is not distant from grief. He is “nigh” — closest — to the broken-hearted, and it is precisely the contrite and crushed whom He saves.
Psalms 34:18The same God who names the stars (v. 4) stoops to bind up individual wounds. No sorrow is too small for His attention.
Psalms 147:3David preaches to his own soul, questioning the despair instead of obeying it, and points himself back to hope in God.
Psalms 42:11Jesus invites the weary and heavy-laden — not the strong — and promises rest rather than a rebuke.
Matthew 11:28Even when heart and body fail, God remains “the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
Psalms 73:26God’s Presence in the Darkness
Depression can feel like walking through a valley where God seems absent. Scripture answers that fear directly: the LORD goes before you, walks beside you, and will not forsake you. Isaiah’s “fear thou not” is grounded not in a change of circumstances but in the nearness of God Himself.
Three promises for a fearful heart: I am with thee, I will strengthen thee, I will uphold thee. The command not to fear rests on God’s presence, not on your feelings.
Isaiah 41:10God goes ahead of you and stays with you; He “will not fail thee, neither forsake thee.” Nearness is His settled posture, not a reward for coping well.
Deuteronomy 31:8The valley of deepest shadow is a place you walk through, not stay in — and even there, “thou art with me.”
Psalms 23:4When shame bows the head low, God is “the lifter up of mine head” — a shield around the one who feels exposed.
Psalms 3:3God is “a strong hold in the day of trouble,” and He personally knows those who take refuge in Him.
Nahum 1:7Prayer, Peace, and Hope
When the mind is overwhelmed, Scripture points to prayer as the place to lay every anxious thought. Paul promises that the peace of God — a peace that outruns human understanding — guards the hearts of those who bring their requests to Him. And the Psalms testify that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Anxiety is met with prayer and thanksgiving, and the result is a guarded heart — “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.”
Philippians 4:6-7You can hand every care to God because “he careth for you.” The casting is deliberate; the caring is His.
1 Peter 5:7Waiting on the LORD is not passive despair. He lifts the sufferer “out of an horrible pit” and sets his feet on solid rock.
Psalms 40:1-2Sorrow is real but not final: “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Psalms 30:5Those who wait on the LORD trade exhaustion for renewed strength — mounting up, running, and walking without fainting.
Isaiah 40:31Recommended reading
Study Bibles & devotionals
Go deeper than a single verse. These study Bibles and daily devotionals pair well with the topics here — adding context, commentary, and a rhythm for daily reading.
ESV Study Bible
Crossway
Over 20,000 study notes, maps, and articles — the go-to one-volume study Bible for understanding scripture in context.
Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
Tyndale / Zondervan
Notes that connect each passage to everyday life — ideal alongside the topical verses on this page.
Jesus Calling
Sarah Young
A year of short daily devotions written as if Jesus is speaking — a gentle companion to daily scripture reading.
My Utmost for His Highest
Oswald Chambers
The classic daily devotional — 365 readings that have shaped Christian devotion for over a century.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about depression?
The Bible speaks tenderly to those who are downcast. Psalm 34:18 promises, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” In Psalm 42:11 the psalmist honestly asks his own soul why it is “cast down,” then turns to hope in God. Isaiah 41:10 answers fear with God’s presence: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee.” Scripture does not shame sorrow — it meets it with God’s nearness, comfort, and hope.
What are good KJV scriptures for depression and sadness?
Often-cited King James Version verses for depression and sadness include Psalm 34:18 (God is near the broken-hearted), Psalm 147:3 (“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds”), Matthew 11:28 (“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”), and Philippians 4:6-7 (bringing anxious requests to God in prayer). Psalm 30:5 offers hope for the long night: “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Is depression a sin according to the Bible?
The Bible does not treat sorrow or depression as a sin. Godly people in Scripture experienced deep anguish — Elijah asked to die (1 Kings 19:4), Job cursed the day of his birth, and David poured out despairing thoughts throughout the Psalms. God met each of them with care rather than condemnation. Mental health struggles are not moral failures, and these verses are offered for comfort and reflection — not as a substitute for medical or professional care.