19 Bible Verses about Stress and Worry

Stress and worry show up in different outfits: a racing mind at 2 a.m., a tight chest before a big decision, a quiet sense of dread that sits behind the eyes. The Bible does not minimize any of it. It names fear, anxiety, distress, heaviness, panic, and even that heavy-hearted ache that can make the soul feel tired. Then it points beyond them to a steady stream of peace, trust, courage, and rest.

People search for phrases like Bible verses anxiety, Bible verse stress, fear not Bible verse, do not be anxious Bible, and Trust in God not fear. Those aren’t just search terms. They are cries for help. And Scripture answers, both with comfort and with a way forward.

Nineteen passages that speak to a troubled mind

These verses form a strong lattice. Some are commands that steady the will. Others are promises that settle the heart. A few are prayers to carry on your lips when anxiousness rises.

• Philippians 4:6. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything pray with petition and thanksgiving. Paul writes this from prison. NIV and ESV say be anxious, while KJV puts it be careful for nothing. The idea is to throw your concerns into prayer rather than letting them sit as tension in your body.
• Philippians 4:7. The peace of God that transcends understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ. KJV says passeth all understanding; either way this is a supernatural guard, not a self-made calm.
• Matthew 6:34. Do not worry about tomorrow. Jesus ties worry to divided attention and invites you to focus on today’s call to faith and patience. Tomorrow will have its own concerns; God meets you daily.
• 1 Peter 5:7. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. KJV’s casting all your care and careth has a gentle rhythm. The command is active: cast, throw, leave with, give unto God what you cannot carry.
• John 14:27. Jesus says, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. He spoke this on the night of deep distress. His gift is not fragile. It is durable in the face of fear.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

• Isaiah 41:10. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, help you, uphold you with my righteous right hand. To a people under oppression, God promises presence, help, and strength.
• Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Anxiety often spikes when we build on our limited perspective. This verse invites reliance on the Lord’s wisdom.
• Proverbs 3:6. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. NIV says submit to Him; KJV says direct your paths. The promise is guidance and a secure way.
• Proverbs 12:25. Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. The heaviness is real; so is the power of encouragement to lift a depressed or heavy-hearted soul.
• Psalm 55:22. Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous be shaken. Burden, cares, distress, and worry meet a stronger hand.
• Psalm 23:4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. The presence of the Shepherd quiets panic and dismay.
• Psalm 27:1. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Light, salvation, stronghold, rock, and fortress are the language of safety.
• Psalm 46:10. Be still and know that I am God. The Hebrew sense includes cease striving. Quiet and still are not passive; they are acts of trust.
• Psalm 4:8. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Insomnia often rides with stress; this verse gives a bedtime confession that welcomes tranquil rest.
• Matthew 11:28. Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus addresses labor that grinds down the soul and offers a different yoke that brings relief.
• Psalm 56:3. When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. Not if, but when. Fear is real; trust is a chosen response.
• 2 Timothy 1:7. God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. KJV says a sound mind. The Spirit strengthens courage and steady thinking.
• 1 John 4:18. There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear. God’s perfect love provides assurance that quiets dread of judgment and the anxious self-talk that often follows.
• Joshua 1:9. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Presence again. Courage grows where presence is believed.

Those nineteen verses show a pattern: release your burden, receive peace, remember God’s presence, respond with trust, and stay focused on today.

What Scripture teaches about handling anxiety and stress

The Bible names anxiety and then gives practices that help. It does not shame the anxious; it offers help, support, and a pathway toward peace.

Faith and trust

Trust, faith, and hope are not vague wishes. They are a settled confidence in God’s character. Proverbs 3:5 urges you to rely on the Lord and to lean not on your own understanding. Anxiety gets loud when we try to control every variable; trust loosens that grip.

• Faith says, God is with me.
• Hope says, God’s future is good.
• Trust says, God is acting for my good even when I feel tension.

Joshua heard, Fear not, be not afraid, be not dismayed, for I am with you. That assurance powers perseverance. It makes you brave.

Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving

Philippians 4:6 gives a simple procedure: turn worry into prayer. Make petition specific. Wrap it with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving recalls past help and stirs fresh assurance. It is hard for panic to dominate when your mouth is counting gifts.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Bring your cares into communion with God. Pray in the car. Pray before the meeting. Pray in the night when anxious thoughts repeat. Short prayers count. So do long ones.

The peace of God

Right after verse 6, verse 7 promises a guarding peace. This peace does not depend on perfect conditions. It surpasses understanding, which means you do not need to figure out every angle to rest. It keeps your heart and your mind secure in Christ, even when circumstances remain challenging.

Love versus fear

Perfect love casts out fear. That sentence from 1 John 4:18 is not theory. When you believe God’s love is steady, the dread of failure, rejection, or punishment loosens. Love brings reassurance and calm. It also stirs love for neighbors, which reorients a mind stuck in self-focused worry.

Spirit-given courage and a sound mind

God gives power, love, and self-control. The Spirit strengthens a sound mind, the ability to think clearly when distressed, to choose patience when pressed, to answer anxiety with Scripture instead of spiraling.

Words that lift heavy hearts

Proverbs 12:25 links anxiety with heaviness, then points to a good word that cheers. Community matters. Encouraging words from a friend, a pastor, or a counselor carry support. A gentle word, a reminder of truth, even a text that says I am praying can ask for help.

Today’s grace, not tomorrow’s imagined trouble

Jesus says do not worry about tomorrow. He is not calling you to be careless or reckless. He is calling you to be cautious about mental time travel. Worry multiplies scenarios. Grace comes today. Focus on today’s call, and trust God to meet you again tomorrow.

Rest in body and soul

Psalm 4:8 is a literal bedtime prayer. Matthew 11:28 is an invitation to rest under Christ’s easy yoke. Elijah’s story shows God caring for a worn-out prophet with sleep and food before deep spiritual counsel. God cares for the whole person.

Stories that put courage in your heart

Truth lands differently when you see it lived.

David: honest fear, chosen trust

David knew distress and danger. He wrote Psalm 56 while under enemy pressure. He did not pretend to be fearless. He said, When I am afraid, I will trust in You. He remembered God as light, salvation, and stronghold in Psalm 27, asking, Whom shall I fear? He walked through the valley of the shadow of death in Psalm 23 and still refused to be afraid because the Shepherd was near.

David models honesty with fear and a steady return to faith. He cries, then he believes. He names his enemies, then he names God’s promises. He feels heaviness, then he speaks a good word to his own soul.

Elijah: the gentle way of God with a discouraged servant

After a dramatic victory, Elijah ran from a death threat, collapsed, and prayed to die. God did not rebuke him with harshness. He sent an angel to help with food and rest. He spoke in a low whisper, not in earthquake or fire. This is comfort that meets a weary heart with gentleness. Elijah’s perseverance was strengthened not by shaming but by care.

Paul: contentment in chaos

Paul wrote do not be anxious while chained. He learned contentment in plenty and in lack. On a ship in a storm, he spoke courage, urged food, and anchored his hope in God’s promise to bring everyone to shore. His self-control under pressure came from the Spirit’s power and love. His life says peace and courage can grow in hard places.

Practices that calm an anxious mind

Here are simple ways to apply the verses. Use them as a menu, not a checklist.

• Pray your worry list Turn each concern into a request. Use Philippians 4:6 like a script: name the issue, ask for help, add thanksgiving. Repeat daily. Consistency grows assurance.
• Cast your cares physically Write each burden on paper. Ball it up and throw it in a trash bin as a symbol of casting it on the Lord. Say aloud, I leave this with You.
• Memorize three anchors Start with Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 56:3, and 2 Timothy 1:7. Speak them when anxiety rises. They build confidence and train a sound mind.
• Breathe with Scripture Inhale slowly, pray, When I am afraid. Exhale, I trust in You. Repeat. Pair this with Psalm 46:10, Be still and know.
• Practice a gratitude sentence Each evening, write one sentence of thanksgiving. It might be as simple as Safe drive home or A kind word from a coworker. Gratitude reshapes attention.
• Set a tomorrow box Keep a small box on your desk. When you catch yourself spiraling about tomorrow, write the worry on a card, place it in the box under Matthew 6:34 written on the lid. Tell the Lord you will revisit it tomorrow with Him.
• Ask for a good word Invite a trusted friend to check in weekly. Give them freedom to text you a verse, a prayer, or a brief encouragement. Proverbs 12:25 says that lifts the heart.
• Build a calm pre-sleep routine Light stretching, a psalm read aloud, a simple prayer. Let Psalm 4:8 be the last sentence: In peace I will lie down and sleep.
• Serve someone quietly Anxiety often narrows life to self. A small act of love widens vision. Deliver a meal. Send a note. Pray for someone else by name. Love drives out fear.
• Morning reset Read Joshua 1:9 or Psalm 27:1 before checking your phone. Tell your heart, Be strong and courageous. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
• Submit plans in prayer Before a decision, pray Proverbs 3:5-6. Say, I submit this to You. Make my path straight. Then take the next clear step with courage.
• Name what you can control Write two columns: What I can do today and What I surrender. Put action items in the first. Put everything else in the second and pray over it. This builds endurance and steadiness.

These practices are not magic. They are ways of staying near to the Lord who is near to you. Over time they grow perseverance, patience, and a tranquil heart.

Quick reference: 19 verses at a glance

Use this table as a pocket guide for meditation, teaching, or small group support.

Reference	Key phrase or idea	Focus keywords
Philippians 4:6	Do not be anxious; pray with petition and thanksgiving	anxiety, pray, petition, thanksgiving, trust
Philippians 4:7	Peace of God will guard heart and mind	peace of God, assurance, secure, calm
Matthew 6:34	Do not worry about tomorrow	do not worry, today, patience, focus
1 Peter 5:7	Cast all your anxiety on Him; He cares	cast, care, burden, support, help
John 14:27	My peace I give; do not be troubled or afraid	peace, troubled, afraid, comfort
Isaiah 41:10	Fear not; I am with you; I will help and uphold	fear not, strengthen, help, uphold
Proverbs 3:5	Trust in the Lord; lean not on your understanding	trust, rely on the Lord, lean not
Proverbs 3:6	Acknowledge Him; He will make your paths straight	submit, guidance, straight paths
Proverbs 12:25	Anxiety weighs down; a good word cheers	anxiety, heaviness, encourage, joy
Psalm 55:22	Cast your burden; He will sustain	burden, cast upon, sustain, secure
Psalm 23:4	Fear no evil; You are with me	fear, presence, comfort, safe
Psalm 27:1	The Lord is my light and salvation; stronghold	light, salvation, stronghold, confidence
Psalm 46:10	Be still and know that I am God	still, quiet, know, assurance
Psalm 4:8	Lie down in peace and sleep; You make me safe	peace, sleep, safe, tranquil
Matthew 11:28	Come to me; I will give you rest	rest, weary, heavy laden, relief
Psalm 56:3	When I am afraid, I trust in You	afraid, trust, believe, hope
2 Timothy 1:7	Spirit of power, love, and self-control	courage, love, sound mind, strengthened
1 John 4:18	Perfect love casts out fear	love, fear, cast out, reassurance
Joshua 1:9	Be strong and courageous; God is with you	courage, be not afraid, presence

A few notes on translation and nuance

Sometimes a single word eases confusion.

• Be anxious and be careful for nothing reflect the same idea. KJV’s careful means full of care, weighed down by concern.
• Direct your paths and make straight your paths convey the same promise of guidance.
• Fear not, be not afraid, and do not be frightened are different ways of urging courage.

Reading two or three translations can expand your sense of meaning. It also helps you memorize phrases that speak most clearly to your heart.

How these verses work together on a hard day

Picture a late afternoon spike of stress. Email floods in. A decision is due. You feel the familiar tightness. Here is one way to respond using this collection.

• Whisper Psalm 46:10. Be still and know.
• Name the specific worry and pray Philippians 4:6 with thanksgiving for one small gift today.
• Say 2 Timothy 1:7 aloud to reset your mind.
• Text a friend for a good word, leaning into Proverbs 12:25.
• Write the non-urgent future concerns on a card, place it in your tomorrow box under Matthew 6:34.
• Before bed, read Psalm 4:8 and ask for peaceful sleep.

None of this denies the reality of burden, dismay, or distress. It meets them with faith, love, and practices that invite peace. Over time, you will notice more confidence and a steadier center.

The Bible’s way with worry is not to pretend you have no fear. It is to bring fear into the presence of God, receive help, and walk forward with courage. The Lord is your light and your salvation. He is your stronghold. He cares for you. He is with you wherever you go.

If you want a place to begin today, try this short prayer:

Father, here are my cares. I cast them on You. Grant me the peace of God that guards my heart and mind. Teach me to trust You, to love without fear, to be strong and courageous. I lean not on my own understanding. Make my path straight. In Jesus’ name, amen.