27 Comforting Psalms to Overcome Grief and Pain

There is nothing wrong with looking for comfort when we are hurting. In fact, this is the perfect time to turn to God, who we should know is always ready to open His arms to us and lend a listening ear to hear our problems.

It can be tempting to blame God for our pain, or feel that we are being mistreated or neglected. In these times, it is all the more important that we look to the Word of God to remind us of His love.

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The Book of Psalms is full of wonderful wisdom that we can find comfort in in times of grief and overwhelming pain.

So, below, we have handpicked and listed 25 comforting Psalms for the grieving, overwhelming, and hurting.

Whether you need comfort, support, or reassurance from God, these are important Psalms to make sure to remember and recite!

1) 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.”

Psalm 4:1 is an uplifting call to God that we can recite, and use as a prayer, when we are feeling downcast. God is always listening, and this call for support and guidance is one of the most powerful verses we can say out loud.

2) Psalm 4:8

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Grief, pain, and feeling overwhelmed can obstruct our peace, as well as our ability to rest. In these times, we must look to the Lord to soothe our troubles. This direct request to God is as powerful as Psalm 4:1.

3) Psalm 9:9-10

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

Psalm 9:9-10 can help us to remember how the Lord is a sheltering tree, a refuge, and an unbreakable stronghold in our times of trouble and distress. As long as we seek God, He will never forsake us or turn us away.

4) Psalm 9:12-14

“For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted. Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion, and there rejoice in your salvation.”

These colorful verses have a simple message: that God does not ignore our cries for help, even when faced with death. In fact, He has mercy on us for our sins, welcoming us to declare our praises and rejoice with Him in Heaven.

5) Psalm 16:8-11

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

With our eyes on the Lord and Him at our right hand, there is nothing that should shake our spirit! God does not abandon us or let us stray from the path he has laid out for us. Therefore, even in times of great pain, there is no reason to lose faith.

6) Psalm 18:2-3

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:2-3 builds on the message of Psalm 9:9-10. Our God is a fortress, rock, and shield—our complete defense against danger, harm, and hardship. All it takes is that we open ourselves up to Him and call to Him.

7) Psalm 22:24

“For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.”

Not only does God never abandon us in our times of need, but He does not despise or scorn us even if our pain is a result of our own sin or doing. He will always show up when we cry out for His help.

8) 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.”

This famous passage from Psalms is one of the most comforting verses that we can recite in times of grief or fear. No matter what lies ahead, we should not fear anything because God is with us. He has also equipped us with the tools for our comfort and safe passage.

9) Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is light and salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 27:1 is another verse that is perfect for reciting when we are feeling overwhelmed by grief or pain. We have nothing to fear or be afraid of—not when the Lord remains our light, salvation, and stronghold!

10) Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

This Psalm reminds us to be patient in times of emotional pain. Why? Because the Lord is watching, and He has a plan to remove us of our affliction—we just have to be patient and be strong.

11) Psalm 30:5

“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

The Lord always forgives our sins and helps us when we are troubled. Though we feel pain now, He will provide us with great joy in His time when it is due. We should always look to the brighter morning that God has in store for us.

12) Psalm 34:17-20

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”

Whether we are suffering from a broken heart or are crushed in spirit, the Lord hears our calls for help as long as we remain righteous in His eyes. Even where there is a chance of physical harm, God watches over and protects the righteous.

13) 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.”

Psalm 40:1-2 is a comforting pair of verses for reciting in our moments of grief and hurt. It reminds us that He will lift us out of the mud and set on us our feet—we just have to turn to Him and be patient.

14) Psalm 42:11

“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.”

Why should the soul be downcast or disturbed, when we have God, our savior, looking over us and taking care of us? All we have to do is put our hope in Him and praise Him, and our souls shall be healed of all disturbances.

15) Psalm 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1 is a short, but sweet, verse with one important keyword: ever-present. God is never unavailable, nor will he ever turn us away when we are in trouble. He is both a refuge for comfort and a source of strength.

16) Psalm 55:22

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

We should never feel ashamed to take our cares and worries to the Lord. As long as we remain righteous and seek Him for His help, we will be sustained through Him and never shaken by grief, pain, or harm.

17) Psalm 56:3-4

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

If we truly trust in God, then we have no reason to be afraid. So, it is important that we always put our full trust in the Lord. By doing so, we will be protected from pain, temptation, and fellow mortals who may harm us.

18) Psalm 61:1-2

“Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. 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.”

Psalm 61:1-2 are more comforting verses that we can recite as a powerful prayer, or call for help, to God. No matter how lost we are, or from where we are asking for His help, He will lead us to Him and be our rock. 

19) Psalm 77:11-12

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

When we are grieving, overwhelmed, or hurting, one of the things we can do to find comfort through the Lord is to remember his deeds. There is no limit to his miracles, both before and to come, so for what reason should we ever feel discouraged?

20) Psalm 86:15-16

“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.”

God is gracious, compassionate, and abundant in love and faithfulness for us as his loyal servants on earth. He is compassionate and merciful to all of us—all we have to do is continue to serve him and turn to him. 

21) Psalm 91:2-4

“I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

We must trust in God as our refuge and fortress. He is a sheltering wing, and a shield to defend and protect us against evil, physical harm, and emotional pain. We can channel His strength by simply giving Him our full, unconditional trust in His plan.

22) Psalm 91:11-12

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

God’s army of angels is always present, watching over us and protecting us from any danger that may present itself in our path. For what do we have to fear when we each have a Guardian Angel by our side? God’s angels will always protect us and lift us up out of danger.

23) Psalm 94:19

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

When anxiousness fills our hearts, we can always rely on God to deliver us from pain and bring us joy—no matter how long it seems to take. As always, we must be patient in Him and trust in His ways.

24) Psalm 116:1-2

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

Psalm 116:1-2 reminds us that God will always hear our cries for mercy and guidance, therefore we can call on him to save us as long as we are alive. We love Him and trust Him, so we should never hesitate to seek His help.

25) Psalm 119:76-77

“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.”

God’s unfailing love is always a source of comfort that we can turn to. His compassion is also the reason we are alive and continue to live, for He loves us unconditionally to not let us perish or suffer.

26) Psalm 121:1-7

“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. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

This beautiful passage from Psalms speaks for itself: the Lord our God watches over us in sleep, while never sleeping Himself; He is our shade, and an eternal watcher now and forever. 

27) Psalm 139:7-8

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

The Holy Spirit is ever-present, no matter where we are. Even in the highest of heavens, as well as the lowest depths of earth, God is here for us to give us His love, guidance, and comfort in our moments of weakness, sadness, and fear.

Conclusion

When we are feeling downcast and discouraged through overwhelming grief and emotional hurt, it is more important than ever that we pull ourselves closer to God. In fact, this is an ideal opportunity to talk to God, open up ourselves to Him, and bask in His comfort.

Any negative emotion, or misfortune that we face in life, is also a temptation for blaming God for our troubles or feeling neglected and mistreated. This itself we can view as a personal test of faith, one that should lead us towards God – not away from him.

The Book of Psalms is full of wisdom that we can turn to in times of need. The verses we have handpicked and listed above guarantee to provide comfort, guidance, and even joy when you are grieving, feeling overwhelmed, or hurting.

Make sure to always remember that God is always there to listen to us, comfort us, and guide us in the right direction—no matter how lost we are. All we have to do is seek Him and put our full trust in Him and the individual plans he has in place for us all!

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