This page gives you Bible verses about grief from the King James Version, arranged by the moments when sorrow tends to be heaviest: the quiet hours, the hard days, the long nights, and the slow return to ordinary life. It is written for anyone who is mourning a death, a loss, a broken relationship, or a change they never wanted. The verses here share one thread: God sees grief, stays close to the grieving, and does not waste their tears.
Verses for the Quiet Hours of Mourning
Grief often arrives in the stillness, when the house is silent and the noise of the day has finished. These verses speak to those moments, when the ache feels louder than any words you could say.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
(KJV)
This verse tells you that the Lord draws near when your heart is broken, not after you have pulled yourself together. Today, you might name the person or thing you have lost and say their name aloud in a prayer.
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
(KJV)
Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who mourn, and He promises comfort to them. When the tears come without warning, let them come, and trust that they are seen by the One who promised comfort.
Psalm 56:8
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
(KJV)
The psalmist writes that God keeps track of his wanderings and tears, and nothing is lost on Him. Keep a small notebook or a note on your phone where you write the tears you cannot yet explain, as a way of handing them over.
Verses for the Hard Days and Ordinary Tasks
Some days grief shows up in a grocery aisle, at a work meeting, or while packing up a closet. These verses are for the moments when you still have to function and the sorrow is walking beside you.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 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.
(KJV)
Paul calls God the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us so that we can comfort others. Before you start a task that stirs memories, pause and ask God for the comfort you need to get through it.
Psalm 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
(KJV)
This verse describes God as the one who heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds. Tonight, when you take off your shoes after a long day, picture your wounds being bound up by a gentle and careful hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
(KJV)
God tells His people not to fear, because He is with them and will strengthen them. When fear joins grief at the table, repeat this verse slowly, one phrase at a time, until your breathing steadies.
Verses for Hope Beyond the Loss
Grief is real, and it does not have to be the final word. These verses point toward the hope that Christians hold in God’s promises, while still leaving room for sorrow.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
13 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. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(KJV)
Paul writes that Christians do not grieve as those who have no hope, because Jesus rose and those who sleep in Him will be brought with Him. Write the name of someone you miss in a place you will see often, as a reminder of this hope.
Revelation 21:4
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.
(KJV)
This verse describes a day when God wipes away every tear and death, sorrow, and pain are no more. Let this promise shape your longing, and talk with God about the future you hope to see.
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(KJV)
Paul lists the things that cannot separate believers from the love of God, and grief is not on the list to separate you from Him. When loneliness grows heavy, say this passage aloud to remind yourself that you remain held.
Verses for Those Who Grieve Alongside Others
Grief affects families, friends, and whole communities. These verses speak to the shared weight of loss and to the way God calls us to carry one another’s sorrow.
Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…
(KJV)
The Preacher reminds us that there is a time to weep and a time to mourn, and that every season has its place. Give yourself permission to grieve in the season you are in, without rushing toward the next one.
Galatians 6:2
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
(KJV)
Paul writes that we should bear one another’s burdens, and in doing so we fulfill the law of Christ. Ask a friend to sit with you this week, or offer your presence to someone else who is mourning.
John 11:35
Jesus wept.
(KJV)
This short verse shows Jesus weeping at the tomb of His friend Lazarus, even knowing He would raise him. Let this verse remind you that Christ is not distant from your tears and that He grieved too.
How to Use These Verses
Read one verse each morning or evening, rather than trying to take in the whole list at once. Write the verse on a card and keep it in your pocket, your wallet, or by your bed, so that it is within reach when a wave of sorrow arrives unexpectedly. Some people find it helpful to read a verse aloud slowly, then sit in silence for a minute before moving on.
Pray the verses back to God as your own words. Turn a line like “the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” into a sentence you speak to Him, such as “Lord, be near to me today.” Over time, you may notice that certain verses return to you in the middle of an ordinary day, and you can take that as an invitation to pause and talk with Him.
A Short Prayer for grief
Lord, You know the weight I carry and the people I miss. I bring You the sorrow that I cannot put into words and the tears that come when I least expect them. Be near to me in the quiet hours, and steady me on the hard days. Remind me that You see every tear and that You do not waste my grief. Help me lean on the people You have placed around me, and give me hope that the sorrow of this season will not last forever. Amen.
