“How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?”
— Psalms 13:2
"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds" — Psalm 147:3 treats a broken heart as an injury, which means it is real, and as something he binds, which means it is not final. The fifteen verses below are the Bible's direct address to that situation, shown in full KJV text from Psalms 13:2 to John 14:27.
Quick answer: The best-known verse about heartbreak here is Psalms 13:2: "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?" Psalms 25:17 follows close behind: "The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses." Both are public-domain translations, shown in full on the cards below with a modern-English toggle.
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
Psalms 13:2
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.
Psalms 25:17
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living.
Psalms 27:13
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
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.
Psalms 30:5
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
Psalms 34:18
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.
Psalms 51:17
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.
Psalms 55:4
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalms 62:8
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; for comforters, but I found none.
Psalms 69:20
Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.
Psalms 71:20
My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
Psalms 119:28
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
Psalms 147:3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me, because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to those who are bound,
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,
Luke 4:18
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
John 14:27
These verses suit the seasons after the casseroles stop — the middle of grief and recovery, where most of it is actually lived. They are also the verses people keep coming back to years later, which is why the list stays short and the texts stay whole.
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