Looking for psalms for anxiety? Here are a few that can help.
The book of Psalms is filled with so many human emotions that we can all relate to.
One of those struggles that we can turn to the Psalms for comfort and peace is anxiety.
If you struggle with anxiety, know that there are various places in scripture that you can turn to and find God’s word of peace and rest.
In Philippians we are told not to be anxious about anything but in everything to lift up prayers to God.
I hope that these Psalms will be a comfort to you, showing you that others have struggled with anxious thoughts and that God is an ever-present help to those who seek refuge in Him.
Psalms for Anxiety
Psalm 91:2
“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
When you’re dealing with anxiety, it can feel as though the world around you is spinning.
Or everything is caving in on you, and you have no place to find safety and restoration. In those times we can turn to God as our refuge and fortress.
He is our refuge when we need a place to find safety.
And He is our fortress, who brings peace to our minds and souls even amid any chaos happening around us.
The description of God as our fortress can be found in scripture 21 times.
Though the context for fortress was often physical, David was quite literally seeking safety from those in pursuit of his life.
We can find that God is not only our fortress for physical protection but also when we are struggling internally, with anxiety.
When your mind feels troubled, and anxiety rises, run to Him. He’s a shelter to all those who trust in Him.
Psalm 91
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
“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.”
“You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,”
“nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.”
“A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.”
“You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.”
“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,”
“no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.”
“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.”
“You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.”
“He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.”
“With long life, I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
When you feel overcome with the worries of life, or it feels like anxiety is taking over, this verse serves as a reminder of who’s really in control.
Even when our hearts and minds feel like it is racing, or it is out of control. We can look to the one who is an anchor in the storm.
Repeatedly we see God showing kindness towards those who call upon Him. He does not turn away the heart who truly seeks Him, and trusts in Him.
I love that He says whoever clings to Him, He will deliver. The idea of clinging to something or someone is having a strong hold.
When you are clinging to something you do not plan to let it go.
Instead, you are gripping onto it with all that you have.
When we cling to God, we are showing that He is the one we are holding onto no matter what is happening within or around us.
In our times of anxiety we can cling onto the Lord and we can call on Him, and He says He will answer.
What’s even greater is that He says He will be with you in your distress. Call on Him, and cling to Him.
He will be there to deliver you, to answer you and to be with you in your troubles.
Psalm 62:5-6
“Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.”
“Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”
If there is anything that most people who are struggling with anxiety seek, it is peace, and rest.
If we’re honest, anxiety can feel mentally, physically, emotionally, and physically draining.
Sometimes we can easily mistake it for only being something that we struggle with in our heads, but it can show up in other parts of our lives and bodies too.
One of the most obvious ways that anxiety can show up in bodily form is through exhaustion.
When we are feeling anxious, despite being able to physically rest, we can still feel our energy being sapped because our minds are still speeding.
In those times of exhaustion, we can come to God and seek rest in His presence.
He’s not only able to provide us with times to rest our body but He alone can provide us with rest for our souls.
When we are hit with uncertainty we can lean on God as our rock, because He never changes.
He is a firm foundation for those who trust in Him.
Psalm 16
“Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.”
“I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you, I have no good thing.”
“I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
“Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.”
“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.”
“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.”
“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night, my heart instructs me.”
“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.”
When anxiety takes over our minds, it can be easy to forget the promises of God and who He is to us.
In those times when our thoughts become destructive or lead us into doubt and fear, it’s important to turn to God.
What really helps us to turn to Him in faith is knowing His character.
When we know that He is trustworthy, safe, reliable and that His word is true, we can turn to Him with confidence.
Even when anxious thoughts threaten to steal our peace, we can turn to God, proclaiming that He is our Lord, and that in Him we find our refuge.
He alone is able to keep our hearts and minds safe from the vicious thoughts that accompany anxiety. I love how this verse ends, “you are my only good.”
This is David saying these words to God. There was nothing that compared to His relationship with God.
He was saying that God was His greatest treasure and nothing came close to having Him in his life.
When we look at God as our only good, it becomes easier for us to turn to Him during times of fear and anxiety, knowing that He is our ultimately safe place.
Psalm 31
“In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.”
“Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.”
“Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.”
“Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.”
“Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.”
“I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
as for me, I trust in the Lord.”
“I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.”
“You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.”
“Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.”
“My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.”
“Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.”
“I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.”
“For I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.”
“But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
“My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.”
“Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.”
“Let me not be put to shame, Lord,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.”
“Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.”
“How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you.”
“In the shelter of your presence, you hide them
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.”
“Praise be to the Lord,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.”
“In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.”
“Love the Lord, all his faithful people!
The Lord preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.”
“Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.”
In times of anxiety, all you desire is relief. Sometimes that relief comes when a certain situation is dealt with or when a prayer is answered.
But other times that relief comes even when the situation has not changed, but simply because God has given us His peace that surpasses all understanding.
When we are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety over a situation, it is natural to want that circumstance to change before our anxiety settles.
But I love how the Psalmist calls out to God in his time of distress and simply says, “Be gracious to me Lord.”
What he was saying is that he was in a difficult place, he had cried many tears and both his soul and body felt spent.
He was completely worn out and tired. Though he was at the end of his rope, he goes on to say, “But I trust in You Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
In your anxiety and distress, call out to God today. Ask Him to be gracious towards You, and turn to Him in turn.
He cares for you and He will grant you the rest that your soul so desperately seeks.
Psalm 34:4-5
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.”
“Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.”
We can find comfort in knowing that when we seek God, He allows Himself to be found by us.
When we are struggling with fear or anxiety it can feel completely gripping.
There may be many different methods that we can find to help us find calm when we are struggling with anxiety, but it is only God who can give us true peace and deliver us from all our fears.
Look to Him in those times when anxiety tries to overcome you. He is faithful, and will stay true to His word, granting peace that the world could never offer us.
I hope that you will experience God’s peace and rest as you dig into the Psalms and seek His comforting presence that stills all our fears and anxieties.