8 Verses to Battle Depression

1. PSALM 16

Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

all the good things I have come from you.”

3 How excellent are the Lord‘s faithful people!

My greatest pleasure is to be with them.

4 Those who rush to other gods

bring many troubles on themselves.[b]

I will not take part in their sacrifices;

I will not worship their gods.

5 You, Lord, are all I have,

and you give me all I need;

my future is in your hands.

6 How wonderful are your gifts to me;

how good they are!

7 I praise the Lord, because he guides me,

and in the night my conscience warns me.

8 I am always aware of the Lord‘s presence;

he is near, and nothing can shake me.

9 And so I am thankful and glad,

and I feel completely secure,

10 because you protect me from the power of death.

I have served you faithfully,

and you will not abandon me to the world of the dead.

11 You will show me the path that leads to life;

your presence fills me with joy

and brings me pleasure forever.

2. PSALM 43

O God, declare me innocent,

and defend my cause against the ungodly;

deliver me from lying and evil people!

2 You are my protector;

why have you abandoned me?

Why must I go on suffering

from the cruelty of my enemies?

3 Send your light and your truth;

may they lead me

and bring me back to Zion, your sacred hill,[a]

and to your Temple, where you live.

4 Then I will go to your altar, O God;

you are the source of my happiness.

I will play my harp and sing praise to you,

O God, my God.

5 Why am I so sad?

Why am I so troubled?

I will put my hope in God,

and once again I will praise him,

my savior and my God.

3. PSALM 130

From the depths of my despair I call to you, Lord.

2 Hear my cry, O Lord;

listen to my call for help!

3 If you kept a record of our sins,

who could escape being condemned?

4 But you forgive us,

so that we should stand in awe of you.

5 I wait eagerly for the Lord‘s help,

and in his word I trust.

6 I wait for the Lord

more eagerly than sentries wait for the dawn—

than sentries wait for the dawn.

7 Israel, trust in the Lord,

because his love is constant

and he is always willing to save.

8 He will save his people Israel

from all their sins.

4. ISAIAH 61:1-4

The Sovereign Lord has filled me with his Spirit.

He has chosen me and sent me

To bring good news to the poor,

To heal the broken-hearted,

To announce release to captives

And freedom to those in prison.

2 He has sent me to proclaim

That the time has come

When the Lord will save his people

And defeat their enemies.

He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,

3 To give to those who mourn in Zion

Joy and gladness instead of grief,

A song of praise instead of sorrow.

They will be like trees

That the Lord himself has planted.

They will all do what is right,

And God will be praised for what he has done.

4 They will rebuild cities that have long been in ruins.

5. JEREMIAH 15:10-21

10 What an unhappy man I am! Why did my mother bring me into the world? I have to quarrel and argue with everyone in the land. I have not lent any money or borrowed any; yet everyone curses me. 11 Lord, may all their curses come true if I have not served[a] you well, if I have not pleaded with you on behalf of my enemies when they were in trouble and distress. (12 No one can break iron, especially the iron from the north that is mixed with bronze.)

13 The Lord said to me, “I will send enemies to carry away the wealth and treasures of my people, in order to punish them for the sins they have committed throughout the land. 14 I will make them serve their enemies in a land they know nothing about, because my anger is like fire, and it will burn forever.”

15 Then I said, “Lord, you understand. Remember me and help me. Let me have revenge on those who persecute me. Do not be so patient with them that they succeed in killing me. Remember that it is for your sake that I am insulted. 16 You spoke to me, and I listened to every word. I belong to you, Lord God Almighty, and so your words filled my heart with joy and happiness. 17 I did not spend my time with other people, laughing and having a good time. In obedience to your orders I stayed by myself and was filled with anger. 18 Why do I keep on suffering? Why are my wounds incurable? Why won’t they heal? Do you intend to disappoint me like a stream that goes dry in the summer?”

19 To this the Lord replied, “If you return, I will take you back, and you will be my servant again. If instead of talking nonsense you proclaim a worthwhile message, you will be my prophet again. The people will come back to you, and you will not need to go to them. 20 I will make you like a solid bronze wall as far as they are concerned. They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you. I will be with you to protect you and keep you safe. 21 I will rescue you from the power of wicked and violent people. I, theLord, have spoken.”

6. LAMENTATIONS 3:55-57

55 “From the bottom of the pit, O Lord, I cried out to you,

56 And when I begged you to listen to my cry, you heard.

57 You answered me and told me not to be afraid.

7. JOHN 3:14-17

14 As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the

Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.

8. EPHESIANS 3:14-21

14 For this reason I fall on my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its true name. 16 I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, 17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, 18 so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love.19 Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God.

20 To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of: 21 to God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever! Amen.