We all have anxiety at some point—some to far greater degrees than others. The following definition from a very old dictionary defines anxiety surprisingly well. We hope that when you read it you feel known. Anxiety isn’t uncharted territory. People from long ago were familiar with the distressing feelings we know all too well. So, what is anxiety?
What Is Anxiety
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary describes anxiety as,
Concern or solicitude respecting some event, future or uncertain, which disturbs the mind, and keeps it in a state of painful uneasiness. It expresses more than uneasiness or disturbance, and even more than trouble or solicitude. It usually springs from fear or serious apprehension of evil, and involves a suspense respecting an event, and often, a perplexity of mind, to know how to shape our conduct.
Disturbance. Uneasiness. Fear. Indecision. None of us want the discomfort described in that definition. Yet, anxiety seems to be our natural response to not knowing what’s ahead, not knowing what to do, and not having what we need.
Thankfully, in his Word, God has given us truth to stabilize our minds, declarations of peace to guard our hearts, assurance that he will deliver us from our fears, and clear guidance for how to live. In this article, you will find 15 prayers for when you’re anxious, all based on God’s Word.
We want to help you learn how to calm down anxiety by finding refuge in your relationship with the Lord.
It might be helpful to you to say these prayers out loud. That way, these prayers won’t be some among many of your racing thoughts. Rather, your conversation with God will be the loudest voice, the one you hear. You will find help for anxiety through these 15 prayers below, resources we recommend, and calm anxiety music below.
Help for Anxiety from 15 Bible Verses (and Resources on Anxiety)
1. Praying through Matthew 6:25-33
Father in heaven, will you help me seek first your kingdom and your righteousness. I know that you promise to provide for me. Will you provide for _____ because it is distracting me from your kingdom. Please refocus my heart on your kingdom concerns by your Holy Spirit. (Matthew 6:25-33)
Jesus tells us three times in Matthew 6 not to worry. He gives us a wonderful explanation why. Our heavenly Father promises to care for everyone who trusts in Jesus. To learn more about Jesus’ comforting words to the anxious, check out our page on Matthew 6:33.
2. Praying through Philippians 4:6-7
Father, you tell me to be anxious for nothing, so with thanksgiving, I will let my requests be made known to you. (Make requests with thanksgiving) Thank you giving me your peace to guard my heart and mind. (Philippians 4:6-7)
God paves the way to peace for us, instructing us in Philippians 4:6-7 about how to deal with anxiety. He reminds us to pray, to turn our thoughts toward thanksgiving, and to ask God for whatever we need in the moment. Obeying God’s instruction comes with a wonderful promise—his peace will guard our hearts. Discover the perfect peace promised in Philippians 4:6-7.
3. Praying through Psalm 34:4
Thank you Father, for promising that when I seek you, you will answer me, and deliver me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)
What an incredible promise of God! Friend, run to the Lord with all your fears. How to do this? Seek him, rather than seeking a temporary solution to the problems at hand. He will deliver you. We wrote out some practical help for how to do this in an article called, “What to Do When You’re Afraid.”
4. Praying through 1 Peter 5:7
Father, I cast all my anxiety upon you. (Tell him what’s troubling you) because I know that you care for me. (1 Peter 5:7)
Who is the “him” talked about here? The Lord, the God of the Scriptures, the Creator who cares for you. The greatest proof of God’s care for you is Jesus, who gave his life for you while you were still his enemy so that he could give you full forgiveness of your sins and restore you to a loving relationship with God (Romans 5:8). God cares for you. Let me say it again. God. Cares. For. You!
You are welcomed by God to cast all your anxieties onto his shoulders, and he will bear them for you. To learn more about this wonderful promise, check out our page on 1 Peter 5:7.
5. Praying through Joshua 1:9
Father, please help me to not tremble or be dismayed, but to trust that the Lord my God is with me wherever I go. (Joshua 1:9)
God gave this promise to his servant Joshua, before Joshua faced an enormous task: to lead thousands upon thousands of Israelites into the Promised Land. If you have put your faith in Jesus, God reaffirms this promise to you: he will never leave you or forsake you, and he wants this promise to strengthen you and make you courageous. Discover the wonderful promise in Joshua 1:9.
6. Praying through Isaiah 41:10
Father help me to say from the heart, “I will not fear, for God is with me.” Thank you for promising to strengthen me and uphold me with your righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
God gave this promise to his weary people on the brink of war. They faced a truly terrifying situation—an army marching their way. But even in this dreadful scenario, God drives away their fear with his promise. To learn more about this promise, check out our page on Isaiah 41:10.
7. Praying through Jeremiah 29:11-13
Father, thank you for making plans for my life, for welfare and not for calamity to give me a future and a hope. I praise and thank you that when I call upon you and pray to you, you will listen to me. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)
When God says, “for I know the plans I have for you,” he spoke to a people who were not looking at pleasant circumstances. Rather, they were in the worst season of their lives. The future looked bleak. But even here, God assured them that he has their ultimate good in mind, that he will not abandon them, and he is working out a plan even in their pain. Discover the incredible guarantee in Jeremiah 29:11.
(Calm Anxiety Music Recommended Below)
8. Praying through Psalm 46:1-3
God, you are my refuge and strength. You are my very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1-3)
This verse comes from Psalm 46. Tasha Layton wrote a song called, “Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be Ok)” that we believe would encourage you. It declares that even if our circumstances end up breaking our hearts—even if the worst does happen—we still have hope. We have triumph. We have promises worth singing about.
9. Praying through Psalm 121:2-3
Thank you Father for your watchful care over my life. Help me trust that my help comes from the Lord, and to not look to other things for my deliverance. Thank you for promising that you will not allow my foot to slip. (Psalm 121:2-3)
This promise comes from Psalm 121, a beautiful psalm about God’s watchful care over his people. The song, “Shoulders” by For KING & COUNTRY declares God’s Word from Psalm 121 over fear, weakness, and despair. May it calm your anxiety with the truth that God will be your help today.
10. Praying through Matthew 11:28-30
I come to you Jesus, because I am weary and heavy-laden, and ask that you give me rest. You tell me that your yoke is easy, and your load is light. Please take my heavy burdens, and help me understand and take up your gentle yoke. (Matthew 11:28-30)
We are pressed with the sense of needing many things. What we most need is the presence of Jesus. Hear Jesus’ welcome to you in this song, “Come to Me” by Scripture Lullabies. Scripture Lullabies is a wonderful resource for children and adults, that may help you rest at night or focus on God’s truth in the early morning. This music from God’s Word will help calm your anxiety. Here’s an article for you, as well, if you wonder, What does “come to me” mean in Matthew 11:28?
11. Praying through Romans 8:15-17
Father, thank you for giving me a spirit of adoption as your son. Thank you for making me a child of God, heir of God, and fellow heir with Christ. (Romans 8:15-17)
If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God. Yes, you are! Hear this triumphant reminder of your identity in Christ through the song, “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong. And because you belong to Jesus, Jesus has set you free from the power of anxiety.
12. Praying through Romans 8:31
God help me trust that you are for me, so who can be against me? (Romans 8:31)
The plain fact is that despite our fears, and the powers of darkness that intimidate us, nothing is more powerful, and no one is more mighty than Jesus Christ. And he is on your side. Sing out this truth with Planetshakers through their song, “Jesus Over Everything.” Wait for the spoken word portion at the end—it will deeply encourage you.
13. Praying through 2 Corinthians 5:6-7
God, help me walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:6-7)
What does it mean to walk by faith? Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (ESV). Walking by faith means choosing to trust God by entrusting your trouble to him, rather than trying to sort it out yourself. Jeremy Camp’s song, “Walk by Faith” will help you do just that.
14. Praying through Isaiah 43:2-3
Father, thank you for promising to protect me from harm when I pass through waters and walk through fire, for the Lord is my God. Thank you for being in careful control of the trials in my life. (Isaiah 43:2-3)
Maybe we think that to be free of fear, we must be free of fearful circumstances. Not so. The wonderful way that believers in Jesus overcome anxiety isn’t by escape but by embrace. We walk straight into our fears holding the hand of Jesus, believing that his presence and promises will carry us through, bringing about our ultimate good no matter what we may face. The song, “By the Grace of God” declares this hope we have in Jesus.
15. Praying through Romans 4:20-22
Holy Spirit, please make me fully assured that what God has promised to me in his Word, he will also perform. (Romans 4:20-22)
God always keeps his promises. The Scriptures are one long story of God keeping his Word over and over to people who don’t deserve it. God makes promises of his own will because he wants to bless us and he keeps promises out of his great love that prevails despite our weaknesses and failures. Even if we are faithless, he remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). Celebrate God’s faithfulness to you through the song, “Promises” by The Worship Initiative.