Best Bible verses for depression

From time to time there are specific questions and this is one.  What are the best Bible verses for depression?

A few will be listed but it is good to consider a larger picture.

First of all, is a person born again?  If there is no connection to God, if a person’s spirit has not been reborn, that can be part of the problem.

Next, if a person has been born again, are they reading the Bible, going to church, and growing in the Lord?  Being in the atmosphere of hearing Scriptural teaching preached regularly or regularly reading the Bible can help reveal the cause of a problem or a direction to take.

These things are mentioned because there can be many reasons for depression.  Ultimately, having fellowship with the Lord and seeking God about problems, opening the door to God, allows God into a situation to help.

This is a free will universe and God will not force himself into our worlds.

Matthew 7:7  Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

Psalm 62:8  Trust in him at all times, you people.
Pour out your heart before him.
God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Sitting down with a Bible and reading and pausing when you are struck by a certain verse is a good time to ask God…why?  A key to a situation can be in the verses that you particularly notice or that “light up” to you.

Man (in the generic sense, man and woman, in English grammar “man” refers to mankind in general), man is created spirit, soul, and body and God can help us understand where a correction needs to be made.  But it starts with being born again, receiving the spirit of God on the inside, because the Holy Spirit will guide from within.  And that is the way to deal with all problems, not just depression.  Be born again.  Be led of the Spirit of God.

John 15:9  Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.¹¹ I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Obedience to God, both in the written Word, and the written Word as applied to situations by the Holy Spirit, will bring joy.

Jesus likens life to a vine.  If there are no kinks in the vine, if the life of the vine pours out through the branches, then there is joy.

John 15:1  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.² Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.³ You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.⁵ I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Even in secular settings, you will hear people talk about how they helped someone out and it was the best or happiest thing they ever did.  God is likened to a river of life.  When life flows out to help someone, it also flows back as fresh living water.

Isaiah 58:10  and if you pour out your soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light will rise in darkness,
and your obscurity will be as the noonday;
¹¹ and Yahweh will guide you continually,
satisfy your soul in dry places,
and make your bones strong.
You will be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water
whose waters don’t fail.

Here are some other scriptures that may help with depression.  Nothing really substitutes for regular Bible reading and church going for there are many other scriptures as well.

Philippians 4:4   Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!” ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things. ⁹ The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

James 1:2   Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Psalm 30:5  For his anger is but for a moment.
    His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may stay for the night,
    but joy comes in the morning.