Bible verses about grief

God is near the brokenhearted

1. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

   Psalm 34:18

   The LORD draws near to the broken heart rather than stepping away from it.

2. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

   Psalm 147:3

   God is pictured as one who binds up wounds, a slow and careful kind of healing.

3. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

   Matthew 5:4

   Jesus names those who mourn as blessed, and promises they shall be comforted.

4. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

   2 Corinthians 1:3-4

   God is called the God of all comfort, and the comfort we receive can later help someone else.

5. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

   Isaiah 66:13

   God compares his comfort to the way a mother comforts her child.

6. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

   Psalm 73:26

   When body and heart both give out, God is still the strength of the heart.

7. For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

   Lamentations 3:31-33

   God does not grieve people willingly, and his compassion follows the multitude of his mercies.

Jesus knows grief

1. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.

   John 11:33-35

   Seeing Mary weeping for Lazarus, Jesus groaned in spirit, was troubled, and wept.

2. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

   Isaiah 53:3-4

   The suffering servant is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, who carries our sorrows.

3. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

   Hebrews 4:15-16

   Our high priest is touched with the feeling of our weakness, so we can come to God for help in time of need.

4. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

   Isaiah 61:1-3

   The anointed one is sent to bind up the brokenhearted and give beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning.

Words for honest sorrow

The Bible gives mourners permission to cry, ask questions, and say how they feel.

1. I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

   Psalm 6:6

   David says he cried so much in the night that his bed seemed to swim with tears.

2. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

   Psalm 13:1-2

   A prayer that asks God 'how long' four times, with sorrow in the heart daily.

3. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

   Psalm 42:3

   Tears have been my meat day and night, the psalmist says, while others ask where God is.

4. Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

   Psalm 56:8

   God keeps count of our wanderings and puts our tears in his bottle; none are forgotten.

5. Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

   Psalm 31:9

   A plea for mercy from someone worn out by grief in eye, soul and body.

6. My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

   Psalm 119:28

   My soul melteth for heaviness, and the prayer is simply: strengthen me by your word.

7. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

   Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

   There is a time to weep and a time to mourn, so grief has its own rightful season.

People in the Bible who mourned

1. And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.

   Genesis 50:1

   When Jacob died, Joseph fell on his father's face, wept over him and kissed him.

2. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

   Genesis 37:34-35

   Jacob mourned for Joseph many days and refused to be comforted.

3. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

   2 Samuel 18:33

   King David's cry over his son Absalom is one of the rawest laments in Scripture.

4. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

   2 Samuel 12:22-23

   After his infant son died, David said, I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

5. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

   Job 1:20-21

   Job tore his mantle and fell to the ground in grief, and still worshipped.

6. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

   Job 2:13

   Job's friends sat with him seven days without speaking because his grief was very great.

7. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

   Deuteronomy 34:8

   Israel wept for Moses thirty days, a set time of mourning for a loved leader.

8. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

   Acts 8:2

   Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

Hope beyond loss

1. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

   1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

   Christians still sorrow, but not as others which have no hope, because Jesus died and rose again.

2. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

   John 11:25-26

   Jesus told Martha, I am the resurrection, and the life.

3. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

   John 14:2-3

   Jesus said he was going to prepare a place, and would come again to receive his own.

4. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

   Psalm 30:5

   Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.

5. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

   John 16:22

   Jesus promised his sorrowing disciples that their hearts would rejoice when they saw him again.

6. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

   Psalm 116:15

   The death of his saints is precious in the sight of the LORD.

7. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

   1 Corinthians 15:54-55

   Paul looks to the day death is swallowed up in victory and loses its sting.

8. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

   Revelation 21:4

   The Bible's picture of the end: no more death, sorrow, crying or pain.