6 Scriptures for Depression Relief

In 2018, researchers asked American adults if they were depressed. Almost one in twelve said yes (AAFP). Women reported depression twice as often as men did.

Depression is rampant in our culture, yet it’s been a reality throughout history. If you’ve experienced depression, you know it’s real. Its current pervasiveness may be partially just an increase of reporting due to reducing the stigma of getting help, but also because as a country we’ve become increasingly isolated and individualistic, relying on screens as a substitute for human interaction (Psychology Today).

6 Scriptures for Depression Relief

What does the Bible say about depression? The Bible is no stranger to the human condition; it doesn’t offer a quick fix, but it can meet us where we are. Have you found and relied on some of the most relevant Bible verses for depression?

Here are six Scriptures for depression that might encourage you today:

1. Relying on God’s Presence

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:8

God’s presence is the crucial factor in finding comfort in trouble because knowing God doesn’t guarantee us a trouble-free life. Jesus told us that we would have problems in this life, and we’ll share that verse for depression in a moment.

What difference does God’s presence make? Unlike human beings, God is entirely trustworthy and all-powerful. Although we can’t see him, we can rely on him by faith. Our relationship with him means we aren’t walking through life alone.

We can be encouraged knowing that God walks ahead of us. He’s gone first. We are weak and prone to all kinds of physical and mental struggles, but no matter what happens, God never abandons his children.

2. Taking Heart

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

In the context of this verse, Jesus is telling his disciples what is going to happen after he dies, and what will happen to the disciples after their time of grief has passed and they can be with him again (John 16).

The disciples didn’t completely understand what Jesus was saying, but he explained the reason for his teaching – they would remember later that he had told them these things. He knew they were going to experience difficulty while they were still walking on this earth.

What was Jesus’ answer to that inevitable earthly trouble? “Take heart!” which is another way of saying, “Have courage” (Blue Letter Bible). Jesus promises that he is sovereign over any trouble we face here on earth. As we walk by faith in him, we can have confidence that he is in control.

3. Waiting Patiently

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. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. – Psalm 40:1-3a

When you’re struggling with depression, faith can seem like an intangible solution. We know there are no simple solutions for the problem of depression, and that it’s okay to seek therapy and possibly medication if indicated for your situation.

As Biblical counselors, we believe in turning to God’s Word for provision in our time of need, as well as the practical solutions he has provided when they are needed.

A verse about “waiting for the Lord” might not seem like a Scripture for depression, but it can be comforting to realize that God often brings healing over time. Sometimes we want quick answers to our problems, but God promises that when we wait on him, he is working things together for our good, and we will not be in our current season forever.

If you are struggling with situational depression due to grief, loss, trauma, or other circumstances in your life, know that this will not last forever. There is a path of healing, and God is powerful to lead you on it.

4. Hoping in God

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. – Psalm 42:11

The psalms are a treasure trove of Bible verses about sadness, or verses for depression. So many of them are a personal, individual conversation from David to God. Through these ancient passages, we can see that God is no stranger to the grief and sadness of the human condition.

In Psalm 42, we can see David talking to himself, asking why he is so troubled and upset. He instructs himself what to do in answer to this problem: deliberately put his hope in God. Look to God for the promise of the future despite the darkness of this moment.

Why? Because no matter what, David is determined to praise God, who has saved him and cares for him. Worship is the constant in David’s life, and he knows this is what will carry him through the dark days.

5. Finding Comfort in God

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

These verses for depression begin with worship and end with God’s comfort. The apostle Paul is writing to the believers in Corinth, and he reminds them that God is worthy to be praised. He talks about God’s nature as a compassionate and comforting Father.

Pause and think about that word picture. Imagine a baby learning to walk, who falls and hurts herself. God is the father who rushes to pick her up and comfort her, his heart yearning over her.

That is God’s relationship with us as his children. He is there to pick us up when we fall and to comfort us in hardship. And there is a purpose even in sadness and depression – we can receive God’s care, and then, in turn, offer compassion to others in their time of need.

6. Taking Our Brokenness to God

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18

This verse is one of the most comforting Scriptures for depression. The word “brokenhearted” describes the depth of sadness and pain that we can carry with us in this life, and this verse promises that God is, in a particular way, close to his children who are brokenhearted and crushed inside.

Sometimes you might feel like your depression is a burden to others around you. You don’t want to impose your sadness on others. You can rest assured that God’s compassion never comes to an end (Lamentations 3:22).

He never gets tired of your struggles. Sometimes humans grow weary of “negativity” or experience compassion fatigue, but God never does. When we are crushed and broken, he is there, ready to draw near to us and save us.

During World War II, Betsie and Corrie ten Boom were two Dutch sisters who, along with their father, hid Jews from the Nazis who had occupied their home country of Denmark. Betsie and Corrie were placed in a concentration camp together, and Betsie died there, still clinging to her faith in God even in one of the darkest times of human history.

Corrie famously said of her experience in the concentration camp, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” The same is true for depression. God’s love is enough, even in your darkest times.

Christian Counseling for Depression

God’s love is enough, and He has provided resources through other people in your life to help you walk through this time. Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the depression counselors in our counselor directory if you are struggling.