Depression is a profound and challenging experience that many individuals face, impacting their emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. In times of darkness, the Bible provides a source of hope, comfort, and encouragement.
This compilation presents 30 “Bible Verses for Depression,” accompanied by commentary, aiming to offer spiritual insights and reminders of God’s steadfast love in the midst of struggles.
- Psalm 34:17-18
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Commentary: God’s attentive response to the cries of the righteous highlights His nearness to those experiencing brokenness and emotional distress.
- Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Commentary: God’s assurance of His presence, strength, and support becomes a foundation for courage in the face of fear and despair.
- Psalm 42:11
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
Commentary: The psalmist acknowledges the soul’s distress but redirects focus toward hope in God, anticipating a future filled with praise.
- Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Commentary: Jesus invites those burdened by depression to find rest and learn from His gentle and humble nature.
- Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
Commentary: The psalmist invites God to examine the heart, acknowledging the need for divine guidance on the path to everlasting peace.
- Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Commentary: Paul encourages a prayerful approach to anxiety, promising God’s transcendent peace as a protective guard for hearts and minds.
- Psalm 30:5
“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Commentary: The psalmist contrasts temporary sorrow with the enduring favor and joy found in God’s presence.
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
Commentary: Paul recognizes God as the source of comfort in affliction, emphasizing the transformative nature of divine solace.
- Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Commentary: God’s comforting presence in challenging valleys brings reassurance and dispels fear, symbolized by the shepherd’s rod and staff.
- Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Commentary: God’s intentions for welfare, a future, and hope counteract despair, affirming His benevolent plans for every individual.
- Psalm 34:4
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
Commentary: The psalmist’s testimony of seeking God and receiving deliverance becomes a testament to God’s responsiveness to those in distress.
- Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Commentary: God, the source of hope, enriches believers with joy and peace, fostering an abundance of hope through the Holy Spirit.
- Psalm 27:1
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Commentary: Recognizing God as light, salvation, and stronghold dispels fear and fosters trust in His protective presence.
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Commentary: Paul urges believers not to lose heart, emphasizing the transformative renewal of the inner self and the eternal perspective on temporary afflictions.
- Psalm 55:22
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Commentary: Entrusting burdens to the Lord results in divine sustenance and the assurance that the righteous will remain secure.
- 1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
Commentary: Peter instructs believers to cast all anxieties on God, highlighting His caring nature as a reason for confidence.
- Psalm 71:20-21
“You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.”
Commentary: The psalmist expresses confidence in God’s ability to revive and bring comfort, even in the midst of troubles.
- Isaiah 26:3-4
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
Commentary: Perfect peace is promised to those whose minds are anchored in trust in the Lord, emphasizing His role as an everlasting rock.
- Psalm 30:11-12
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!”
Commentary: God’s transformative power turns mourning into joy, prompting a response of perpetual gratitude and praise.
- Psalm 37:23-24
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
Commentary: God’s guidance and support ensure that those who delight in His way are upheld, even in moments of stumbling.
- Jeremiah 17:7-8
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Commentary: Trust in the Lord is likened to a tree flourishing by water, resilient in the face of challenges and fruitful in all seasons.
- Psalm 103:1-5
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Commentary: The psalmist encourages the soul to bless the Lord, recounting His benefits, including forgiveness, healing, redemption, and the renewal of strength.
- Psalm 16:8
“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”
Commentary: Placing the Lord at the forefront results in unwavering stability and confidence, as symbolized by His right-hand presence.
- Zephaniah 3:17
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Commentary: God’s presence is depicted as a source of salvation, joy, love, and comforting serenity.
- Psalm 62:5-8
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
Commentary: The psalmist emphasizes waiting on God, trusting in His unwavering strength, and finding refuge in His steadfast presence.
- Isaiah 40:31
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Commentary: Those who patiently wait on the Lord receive renewed strength, symbolized by soaring with eagle-like endurance.
- Psalm 103:13-14
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”
Commentary: God’s compassionate understanding of human frailty is likened to a father’s love and consideration for his children.
- Isaiah 53:4-5
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed.”
Commentary: Isaiah prophesies the redemptive work of Christ, emphasizing that through His suffering, believers find peace and healing.
- Psalm 91:1-2
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'”
Commentary: Seeking refuge in the shelter of the Most High ensures dwelling securely in the shadow of the Almighty.
- Romans 8:38-39
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Commentary: Paul declares the inseparable nature of God’s love in Christ, offering assurance that nothing can separate believers from His enduring affection.
May these “Bible Verses for Depression” and their accompanying commentaries bring comfort, hope, and a renewed sense of God’s love to those navigating the challenging journey of depression. May the transformative power of God’s Word inspire faith, resilience, and a deepened awareness of His constant presence in every season of life.