Tears are a natural part of the human experience, and the Bible speaks to the many reasons why people cry—whether from sorrow, repentance, or even joy. Scripture reminds us that God sees every tear and is present with us in times of difficulty. Here are 35 Bible verses that offer comfort, hope, and encouragement during moments of weeping.
Bible Verses About Crying
Psalm 34:17-18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and rescues them from all their distress and troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Revelation 21:4 – No more crying in heaven
“And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying or pain; for the former order of things has passed away.”
Psalm 56:8 – God keeps track of your tears
“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not recorded in Your book?”
Matthew 5:4 – Comfort for those who mourn
“Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn, for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].”
Isaiah 25:8 – God will wipe away every tear
“He will swallow up death [and abolish it] for all time. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.”
John 11:35 – Jesus wept
“Jesus wept.”
Psalm 30:5 – Joy comes in the morning
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may endure for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – God comforts us so we can comfort others
“Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in every trouble, so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
Psalm 126:5 – Sowing in tears, reaping in joy
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.”
Ecclesiastes 3:4 – A time to weep and a time to laugh
“A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
Jeremiah 31:16 – Refrain from weeping, your work will be rewarded
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,’ declares the Lord, ‘And [your children] will return from the enemy’s land.’”
Romans 12:15 – Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep
“Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].”
1 Peter 5:7 – Cast your cares upon Him
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].”
Isaiah 61:3 – Beauty for ashes
“To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: to give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Psalm 147:3 – He heals the brokenhearted
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow].”
Matthew 11:28 – Come to Me, and I will give you rest
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].”
Isaiah 41:10 – Do not fear, for I am with you
“Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].”
Psalm 61:2 – Lead me to the rock that is higher than I
“From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and weak; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [a rock that is too high to reach without Your help].”
2 Corinthians 7:10 – Godly sorrow brings repentance
“For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.”
Lamentations 3:31-32 – God does not cast off forever
“For the Lord will not reject forever, For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness and tender mercy.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart
“Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].”
Luke 7:13 – Jesus had compassion on her
“When the Lord saw her, He felt great compassion for her, and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”
Isaiah 40:1 – Comfort, comfort My people
“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.”
Hebrews 4:15 – Jesus understands our weaknesses
“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.”
Psalm 142:2 – I pour out my complaint before Him
“I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.”
James 5:13 – Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray
“Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God].”
Psalm 62:8 – Pour out your heart before Him
“Trust [confidently] in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us.”
Romans 8:18 – Present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory
“For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!”
2 Kings 20:5 – I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears
“Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I am healing you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.”’”
Psalm 23:4 – I will fear no evil, for You are with me
“Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.”
Romans 8:26 – The Spirit helps us in our weakness
“In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness; we do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.”
Isaiah 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.”
Zephaniah 3:17 – God will rejoice over you with singing
“The Lord your God is in your midst, A Warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins], He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
John 16:20 – Your grief will turn to joy
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, that you will weep and grieve, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.”
Psalm 42:11 – Put your hope in God
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Despair
What Does the Bible Say About Crying
Crying is something that we all experience, and it’s a part of being human. There are moments when life becomes overwhelming, and the tears just flow. Whether it’s from sadness, frustration, or even joy, crying is a natural response. But what does the Bible say about crying? Well, the Bible speaks to this part of our lives in many ways, and it reminds us that crying isn’t something to be ashamed of. In fact, it shows us that God cares about our tears and understands our pain.
The Bible makes it clear that crying is not a sign of weakness but a sign that we are alive, that we feel, and that we are not made of stone. We see in the Scriptures that many people cried, including great leaders, prophets, and even Jesus Himself. This is important because sometimes people think crying makes them look weak or vulnerable, but the Bible tells us that even the strongest among us cry. God created us with emotions, and crying is part of that. It’s a way to express what’s going on inside us, and God understands this.
In the Book of Psalms, we read about King David, a man after God’s own heart, who wasn’t afraid to cry out to God. David went through many difficult times in his life, and he wasn’t shy about expressing his emotions. He wrote in Psalm 6:6, “I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.” Here we see that David was in deep sorrow, but he didn’t hold back his tears from God. Instead, he turned to God in his pain and trusted that God heard him. This teaches us that it’s okay to cry in the presence of God, to be real and honest with Him about what we are going through.
We also see in the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel that she cried bitterly when she longed for a child. She poured out her soul to God with tears, and God heard her cry. God not only listened to her, but He answered her prayer. This reminds us that God hears our cries, and He cares about the things that break our hearts. When we cry out to Him in desperation or sorrow, He doesn’t turn away; instead, He is near to us.
Now, let’s not forget that Jesus Himself cried. In John 11:35, we find the shortest verse in the Bible, and it simply says, “Jesus wept.” Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died, and even though Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, He still cried. This shows us that Jesus understands our pain, and He feels compassion for us when we are hurting. He isn’t distant or cold toward our emotions, but He walks with us in our suffering.
The Bible also gives us hope when it comes to crying. In Revelation 21:4, we are promised that one day, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. This is such a comforting thought because it means that there will come a time when all the pain and sorrow we experience in this world will be gone. We won’t cry tears of sadness anymore, and all the things that cause us pain will be no more. This is God’s promise to us, and it gives us hope as we navigate the difficult moments of life.
So, what does the Bible say about crying? It tells us that it’s okay to cry, that God sees our tears, and that He cares for us in our moments of sadness. We are reminded that crying is a part of life, but it’s not the end of the story. God promises that one day, He will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more pain. Until that day comes, we can cry out to Him, knowing that He is with us, comforting us, and giving us hope.