Sacred texts · Bible
Psalms: 52 verses for every moment of life
To find a psalm for what you are going through, start with what you need: Psalm 23 for trust, Psalms 91 and 121 for protection, Psalm 4 for the night, Psalm 103 for giving thanks. The book of Psalms gathers one hundred and fifty prayers and songs that voice joy as well as fear, anger or exhaustion.
This page offers verses from the Psalms arranged by moment: trust, protection, morning and night, days of distress, and praise. They are quoted word for word from the King James Version and come from the Selfia app. The Psalms have been prayed aloud for centuries, alone or together; you can pray one exactly as written or use it as a starting point for your own prayer.
Psalm 23 and other psalms of trust
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23 is probably the best known of all. It appears here verse by verse, alongside other psalms of trust that carry the same quiet sense of safety.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Psalms for protection: Psalm 91 and Psalm 121
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High” opens Psalm 91, a prayer for protection read in both Jewish and Christian traditions. Psalm 121 is a pilgrim song, often read before a journey, a move or a hard night.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.
They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
Psalms for the morning and for the night
Some psalms follow the rhythm of the day: “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning,” “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep.” These verses suit a short prayer when you wake up or before you sleep, especially on restless nights.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms for times of distress
The Psalms are not afraid to cry out: “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed.” These verses give words to lament and then turn it toward God. They fit days when you no longer know how to pray.
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.
Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.
Psalms of praise and thanksgiving
The book of Psalms ends with “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.” These verses of praise celebrate creation, God’s goodness and the gift of life. They can be sung, read together or whispered on your own.
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
How to pray the Psalms
Read the psalm aloud, slowly, even in a whisper: these texts were made to be spoken. If a verse speaks to you, stop and repeat it a few times. If another one jars or doesn’t sound like you, that’s fine: the Psalms also pray for people going through something other than what you are.
You can choose one psalm for the morning and one for the night, and keep them for a whole week. Many believers pray this way every day, following a regular rhythm. After a few days, some verses come back on their own, without the book.
Frequently asked questions
Which psalm is for protection?
Psalm 91 is the best known psalm for protection: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 121 often goes with it, especially before travel. Psalm 46, “God is our refuge and strength,” suits unsettled seasons.
Which psalm should I read at night to sleep?
Psalm 4 ends with “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep,” and Psalm 3 says, “I laid me down and slept; I awaked.” Psalm 127 says that God gives his beloved sleep. Read one in bed, slowly, lengthening your breath.
Why are psalm numbers different in some Bibles?
Two systems exist. Most Protestant and Jewish Bibles follow the Hebrew numbering, while some Catholic Bibles follow the Greek Septuagint, which is one number lower for most psalms from 10 to 147. On top of that, Hebrew and French Bibles often count a psalm’s title as verse 1, while the King James Version does not.