Mental Health: Bible Verses on Depression

Depression is more than just sadness. It includes feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, numbness, fatigue, lack of motivation, and loss of pleasure. It can be temporary and situational, or long-term and clinical. As I said in my previous post on anxiety, experiencing depression is not a sin or a personal failing. It is something God wants to help us through. He is called the Comforter for a reason. Even when we cannot feel his comforting presence, we can rely on the truth that he is with us. We can also pray, spend time with supportive friends, go to therapy, take medication, engage in self-care, reframe our thoughts, and help others. These Scriptures encourage me when I am depressed. I hope they encourage you, too.

Matthew 5:3-10 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Matthew 28:20b "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen."

Mark 6:34 "Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things."

1 Samuel 30:6 "David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God."

Psalm 9:9 "Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble."

Psalm 30:5"For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning."

Psalm 34:17-19 "The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all."

Psalm 42:5-6 "Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence. My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar."

Psalm 50:15 "Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 103:13 "Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh has compassion on those who fear him."

Proverbs 18:14 "A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?"

Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep."

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "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, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ."

Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear."

1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all."

The whole chapters of Psalm 42, Psalm 73, Psalm 103, and Ephesians 1 are helpful as well.

*Unless otherwise noted, I use the World English Bible, because it is a free, public domain translation. Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Feel free to look up all the verses in your preferred translation! These lists are in no way comprehensive, and I am in no way an expert. These are simply passages I have found helpful in personal study. *

Nicole Jackson-Ozment