10 Psalms for Comfort to Read Right Now
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“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live…” (Psalm 119:76-77).
This world often presents us with challenging times. In fact, Jesus said plainly, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Thankfully, we are not left to handle or recover from these moments on our own.
In His goodness, God wants to ease our disappointments, allay our fears and soften our grief. And one of the ways He does that is through Scripture. The book of Psalms in particular shows us God’s heart, and how He longs to bring us the solace that we sometimes need.
What the Book of Isaiah Says about Finding Comfort in God
The prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s promises to bring consolation and renewal to His people. The poetic words are filled with hope that we can cling to our Heavenly Father in all sorts of trials.
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2).
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young” (Isaiah 40:11).
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
“Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones” (Isaiah 49:13).
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13).
“The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing” (Isaiah 51:3).
10 Psalms to Bring Comfort
One of the best places in the Bible to look for verses about God’s comfort is the book of Psalms. David and others gave testimony to the tenderness of the Lord’s care. And in these songs, we can discover encouraging truths about the powerful way He works on our behalf.
Psalm 46 - God is our hiding place
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (Psalm 46:1-3).
Psalm 121 - God protects us
“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 over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:3-8).
Psalm 5 - God listens to and answers our prayers
“Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:2-3).
Psalm 9 - God has already done great things for us
“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:1-2).
Psalm 30 - God binds up our wounds
“Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me … You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy…” (Psalm 30:2, 11).
Psalm 71 - God walks with us
“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more” (Psalm 71:20-21).
Psalm 34 - God watches over us
“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” (Psalm 34:17-20).
Psalm 4 - God is steadfast and faithful
“Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him…In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:3,8).
Psalm 55 - God is our strength
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken…But as for me, I trust in you” (Psalm 55:22, 23).
Psalm 86 - God loves us deeply
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you…But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:5, 15).
Using the Psalms for Comfort
Reading through Psalms will lighten our hearts momentarily, but God wants us to receive longer-lasting benefits. To get those, we need to slow down and spend time in these sweet passages. Here are some ideas to try during a quiet time with Him:
- Read sections or verses out loud
- Make note of passages that have meaning for you and why
- Remember a time when God has already blessed you with comfort
- Write out verses that stir your heart
- Put the passages into your own words
- Lift up a prayer to God using the verse or your version of it to start you off
- Be ready to share an experience of God’s comfort in your life
A Prayer Using these Comforting Psalms
Heavenly Father,
Psalm 30 says that, “...weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Thank You for those words of comfort and hope, and help me to cling to them. You long to heal my pain and lift my spirits. So let me fix my eyes not on the suffering I’m going through, but on Your gracious love and care. Lord, I lift up praise and thanks for Your presence in my life.
I pray this in Jesus’ name,
Amen.
The Psalms offer a unique balm to our spirits when they are hurting. They point us to the one true Source for the grace we need to stand firm and even grow in our faith through difficult days.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
The Apostle Paul tells us that God’s comfort is not only meant for us, but to be given to others as well. Then, it can actually be a way to build His Kingdom.
“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).
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