When your heart is racing and worry is consuming your life, opening up your Bible can help you feel calm again. Having Psalms for anxiety, worry, or fear, ready is the key to successfully overcoming these feelings.
I’ve battled with anxiety for as long as I can remember..
If I’m being honest, I’ve really struggled with opening my Bible in these moments because I’ve felt so overwhelmed.
After my youngest daughter, Josie, was diagnosed with CHD (you can read her story here) I experienced some of the WORST worry and fear in my life. Truly I believed that these intense feelings were my new normal.
9 Months later, I’m beyond grateful to tell you THERE IS HOPE. Fear and worry don’t need to be normal in your life. You can experience true healing and freedom (you can read my story on overcoming anxiety here).
One of the most pivotal moments for me was finding scripture that resonated. That’s why I created this list, in hopes of helping other people quiet their anxiety through the power of God’s word.
The BEST Psalms for Anxiety, Worry + Fear
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Tademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
I think the book of Psalms is one of the best books in the Bible to turn to. Many of the Chapters were known to be written by David, who was struggling so much with his thoughts at this time. I love reading about how faithful he was to God even though he had some really big emotions!
1. Psalm 3:3
"But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high."
2. Psalm 4:1
"Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer."
3. Psalm 5:2-3
"Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."
4. Psalm 9:9
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."
5. Psalm 10:17
"You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,"
6. Psalm 16:7-8
"I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."
7. Psalm 18:6
"In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."
8. Psalm 18:16
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters."
9. Psalm 22:19
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."
10. Psalm 23:4
"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
11. Psalm 25:1
"In you, Lord my God, I put my trust."
12. Psalm 25:5
"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."
13. Psalm 27:1-2
"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?"
14. Psalm 29:11
"The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."
15. Psalm 30:10-11
"Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,"
16. Psalm 31:9
"Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief."
17. Psalm 33:20-22
"We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you."
18. Psalm 34:4-5
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."
19. Psalm 34:4
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."
20. Psalm 34:18
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
21. Psalm 40:1-2
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."
22. Psalm 43:5
"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
23. Psalm 46:1-2
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,"
24. Psalm 51:12
"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
25. Psalm 55:1-2
"Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught"
26. Psalm 56:3
"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."
27. Psalm 62: 5-7
"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken."
28. Psalm 64:2
"From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
29. Psalm 91:4-5
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,"
30. Psalm 94:19
"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy."
31. Psalm 103: 2-5
"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."
32. Psalm 116:6-7
"The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you."
33. Psalm 121
I really love this entire passage, I’ve read this and prayed over it again and again. I specifically love verses 1 and 2, along with 7 and 8! (Read the Entire Chapter Here)
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,the Maker of heaven and earth."
"The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
34. Psalm 139:23
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."
My Thoughts…
As I read the many struggles of the Psalmist, I am reminded that these feelings are a normal part of human nature. When we pray over these Psalms for anxiety, fear and worry, the Lord will comfort our thoughts and bring rest to our souls.
It’s important to remember that although we may cry out to God, to rescue us from our anxious thoughts, we may not feel immediate relief. That is okay and normal. What’s important is that we continually bring our worries and lay them at the feet of Jesus.
If you are looking for some natural ways to heal your anxiety, I wrote an entire blog post on how I’ve done this (you can read that here).
With all this being said, I pray that the Lord would bring peace and comfort to your soul. I know how frustrating anxiety can be… and I hope you find freedom from it.
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