When Yvette's father passed away, we found ourselves doing what a lot of people do in those moments — searching for something real to give to the people around us who were hurting. Not a Hallmark sentiment. Not a platitude. Something that would actually hold weight in the middle of the kind of grief that makes it hard to get out of bed.
What kept coming back to us was Scripture. Specifically the Psalms — which are unlike almost any other book of the Bible in that they don't try to explain grief away. They sit in it. They're honest about darkness and confusion and the feeling of being utterly spent. And they still point toward God.
That search is ultimately what became our Be Encouraged Scripture Cards. But before we talk about those, here are the verses themselves — because that's what you came for.
20 Psalms of Comfort for Grief and Loss
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
One of the most direct promises in all of Scripture for someone in grief. He doesn't stand at a distance.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
A companion to Psalm 34:18. The healing is active, not passive — he binds, he tends.
Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The most well-known grief verse for a reason. The darkest valley is not the final destination.
Psalm 56:8
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
This one stops people. The image of God collecting your tears — not dismissing them, not rushing past them, but keeping them — is unlike anything else in Scripture.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For the moments when you are simply exhausted by grief and have nothing left.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Simple and steady. Good for reading aloud when words feel impossible.
Psalm 18:2
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
So many names for the same promise — he is immovable when everything else has shifted.
Psalm 73:23
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
The word "nevertheless" matters here. It follows an honest admission of struggle — and still arrives at this.
Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
A verse about verses. Scripture itself as the source of comfort in suffering.
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?
Grief often brings fear alongside it. This verse addresses both.
Psalm 27:13
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Not just in eternity — in the land of the living. A verse about hope in this life, not only the next.
Psalm 62:5
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
Notice the psalmist is talking to himself — commanding his own soul to rest. Grief is exhausting, and rest is a form of trust.
Psalm 61:2
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
A prayer more than a declaration. It's okay to pray this when you have nothing more to offer than a faint cry.
Psalm 116:1
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
The simplest testimony. He heard.
Psalm 18:28
You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
For the specific darkness that grief brings — the sense that the light has gone out.
Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
The morning matters in this verse. Grief is often heaviest at night. Morning comes.
Psalm 3:3,4
But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.
He lifts the head. Grief bends us low. This verse is about being raised.
Psalm 20:1
May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
A blessing to speak over someone else who is grieving — useful when you don't know what to say.
Psalm 86:17
Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
An honest request. Not pretending everything is fine, but asking God to show up.
Psalm 56:9
My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!
The declaration at the end of two days of honest lament. Confidence earned through crying out.
How to Use These Verses
Some people read through all of them at once. More often, one verse is enough for a single day — something to read in the morning and carry. Sometimes reading a single verse is enough to bring a measure of peace.
These verses also travel well. A card tucked into a sympathy card. One left on a nightstand. A pastor or chaplain carrying a few to share. Grief doesn't happen on a schedule, and neither does comfort.
About the Be Encouraged Scripture Cards
After losing Yvette's father, we wanted something we could put in someone's hands — something that held real weight without feeling heavy. So we made it. The Be Encouraged Scripture Cards are a set of 20 Psalms printed on durable cardstock, each one chosen specifically for seasons of grief and loss.
They're used by individuals, grief support groups, hospital chaplains, and hospice workers. They also make a meaningful sympathy gift when you want to offer something that lasts longer than flowers.
Scripture quotations are taken from: The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
