“For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.”
— Psalms 31:22
Psalm 88 is the Bible's despair psalm — it ends in darkness and was still kept in the hymnbook. That is the pattern these verses follow: despair is spoken aloud to God, never swallowed silently. The fifteen verses below are the Bible's direct address to that situation, shown in full KJV text from Psalms 31:22 to Matthew 11:28.
Quick answer: The best-known verse about despair here is Psalms 31:22: "For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee." Psalms 69:1 follows close behind: "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul." Both are public-domain translations, shown in full on the cards below with a modern-English toggle.
For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.” Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.
Psalms 31:22
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!
Psalms 69:1
I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
For the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm by Asaph. My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help, and for him to listen to me.
Psalms 77:1
O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Suffering of Affliction.” A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite. Yahweh, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.
Psalms 88:1
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before Yahweh. Hear my prayer, Yahweh! Let my cry come to you.
Psalms 102:1
Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.
Psalms 143:7
How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Psalms 13:1
O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
Psalms 42:6
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalms 42:11
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
Why do you say, Jacob, and speak, Israel, “My way is hidden from Yahweh, and the justice due me is disregarded by my God”?
Isaiah 40:27
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
Lamentations 3:20
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
He said, “I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.
Jonah 2:2
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.
2 Corinthians 1:8
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?
Proverbs 18:14
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
These verses are for the hard hours — the waiting room, the graveside, the first week, the anniversary nobody else remembers. They are short on explanation and long on presence, which matches what actually helps. Read them aloud if you can; comfort verses were written for voices, not screens.
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