One of the first scriptures I memorized was Psalm 23. That psalm is a special scripture to me since it’s my late grandmother’s favorite psalm, and an anchor Bible verse for our entire family. Now 15+ years later, when I’m scared, anxious, worried, exhausted, frustrated, sad, or upset, this is the Psalm that I repeat in my mind. It reminds me of God’s care for me and promise to be with me “even in the valley of the shadow of death.”
Apart from Psalm 23, I’ve gathered many encouraging scriptures for emergency situations. These Bible verses are my “Bible emergency numbers.” They uplift and strengthen me in times of trouble, and I hope today some of these scriptures do the same for you.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
Bible Emergency Numbers
If we were to face a life-threatening emergency, most of us would dial 9-1-1 (or whatever the emergency number is in your country) without a second thought. But emergencies come in many different forms, including in our spiritual lives.
In hard times, we may grab our Bible but be unsure where to turn. For those times, Bible emergency numbers come in handy, giving you a list of scripture references for emergency situations and times of trouble. This list includes fear, anger, worry, anxiety, confusion, abandonment, loneliness, grief, broken hearts, forgiveness, repentance, and unworthiness.
By reading through the Bible this past year with the Every Word Bible study, I’ve seen how every situation we face in life can be found in the Bible.
Every emotion, emergency situation, troubling time, and overwhelming circumstance—God has written scripture as a lifeline for us in those times to help us keep firm in our faith.
How do you keep faith in hard times?
My favorite definition of faith is Hebrews 11:1, where the author writes “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (ESV). In other words, faith is believing when we have no evidence.
In hard times, it can seem like God has left us, doesn’t care about us, or has forgotten us. The devil plants these lies in our mind to undermine our faith and turn us from God.
As Jesus demonstrated when the devil tempted him in Matthew 4, the best way to fight back against the devil’s schemes is with the word of God. So to keep faith in hard times, you have to dig into the word of God. Study the Scriptures and meditate on God’s words and who He is. Remind yourself of the eternal hope we have in Jesus Christ, that no matter what happens our soul is secure and safe in Him. He is always in control and His Will is Sovereign, which means it cannot be thwarted by life circumstances.
These Bible verses of comfort and scriptures for emergency situations point back to who God is. That He is trustworthy, just, loyal, loving, and promises to work all things out for our good.
Faith means believing in who God is even when circumstances say the opposite.
How do you pray in an emergency?
In addition to Scripture as our anchor in hard times, prayer is our other lifeline in emergency situations. Prayer allows us to communicate with God, share our feelings with him, and voice our fears and concerns. As Christians, we have a direct line to God because of Jesus’s sacrifice, allowing us to approach the throne of grace at all times.
This is the power of prayer, that we are assured that God hears us when we voice an emergency prayer to God.
That doesn’t guarantee that we will get an answer or an explanation from God right away, but it comforts our hearts to know that He hears us and He cares for us. From the stories about prayer in the Bible, we know our cries do not fall deaf on God’s ears.
What does the Bible Say about troubles?
The Bible never promises us that the Christian life will be easy, nor does God promise us that we won’t face times of trouble or trials. But amid that, He does give us a promise:
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (ESV)
God promises us his peace. A peace that comes from the assurance that Jesus has overcome the world. We are secure in Him, and though we will have troubles, He promises to be with us and grant us his peace. That’s exactly why these Bible emergency numbers and scriptures for emergency situations are so helpful—to remind us of who God is so through his Holy Word, we can experience peace for our hearts.
50 Scripture for Emergency Situations – “Bible Emergency Numbers”
In addition to reading God’s word and praying, another way to respond to times of trouble is to use the scriptures for emergency situations and pray them back to God. Just as we feel overwhelmed when we received unexpected news and don’t know where to turn, we may also not know what to pray. (Romans 8:26)
Scripture is just waiting to be prayed back to God, and it comforts us when we pray Bible verses, too.
For example, in emergency prayer scriptures, we may find some of God’s promises to cling to and hold onto during times of trouble. So as you absorb this list of “Bible emergency numbers,” remember to use them, too, by praying them back to God.
Emergency Bible Verses in Times of Trouble
- 1 John 5:19 – “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
Bible Verses for Anxiety & Worry
- John 16:33
- 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
- Psalm 4:8
- Matthew 6:25-32
- Proverbs 12:25
Bible Verses for Fear
- Isaiah 41:10
- Isaiah 41:13 – “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’”
- Psalm 18:1-3
- Psalm 34:19 – “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
- Psalm 56:3-4
- Mark 5:36
Bible Verses for Loneliness
- Psalm 23
- Psalm 73:23-26
- Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
- Hebrews 13:5
- Zephaniah 3:17
Bible Verses for Grief
- Psalm 6:6-9
- Psalm 34:17
- Psalm 42:5
- Lamentations 3:22-24 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,‘therefore I will hope in him.’
Bible Verses for Anger
- James 1:19-20
- Psalm 37:8
- Proverbs 14:29 – “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”
- Ephesians 4:26, 31
Bible Verses for a Broken Heart
- Psalm 7:10-11
- Psalm 30:2, 5
- Isaiah 57:15
- Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
- Jeremiah 31:3
Bible Verses for Overwhelming Times
- Hebrews 10:23
- Isaiah 55:8-9
- Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Scriptures when You Feel Weak
- Micah 7:8 – “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 – “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
- Psalm 3:3
- Joshua 1:9
- Psalm 40:17
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
Scriptures when You Feel Confused
- Psalm 18:28
- Psalm 26:4-5
- Joshua 1:7
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “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.”
Scriptures when You Feel Unloved or Unworthy
- Romans 8:37-39 – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- 1 John 3:1 – “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
- Deuteronomy 7:7-8
- Psalm 139:13-14
- Jeremiah 31:3
- 1 Corinthians 15:10
See more in 30+ Scriptures about God’s Love
Scriptures when You Need Forgiveness
- Psalms 32:5
- Psalm 51
- Joel 2:13 – “And rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”
Scriptures when You Feel Forgotten or Abandoned
- Isaiah 49:15-16 – “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”
- John 10:14-15 – “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. “
- Isaiah 44:21
- John 10:28-29 – “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”
- Psalm 27:10 – “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.”
- Deuteronomy 4:31
FREE Emergency Bible Numbers PDF & Printable
For times when you need Scripture or words of encouragement, here is a free printable with the list of emergency bible numbers included above. Download it for easy reference during emergency situations and times of trouble. (Document stored on Google Drive).
Emergency Prayer Scriptures
In addition to these encouraging Bible verses in times of trouble, I want to share some emergency prayer scriptures, too. These Bible verses that have helped me pray to God and articulate the trouble and distress in my heart. I hope they also give you the words to express your own feelings for whatever you’re going through.
Prayers for Emergencies: What Psalms will help in an emergency?
These Psalms are great to pray in times of trouble or to give a friend who is struggling with an emergency, too. Something about praying God’s words back to Him is so powerful and comforting.
- Psalm 46 – Comfort / Fear / Call for Help
- Psalm 107 – Weak / Fear / Distressed
- Psalm 51 – Forgiveness / Repentance
- Psalm 23 – Loneliness / Comfort
- Psalm 91 – Fear / Call for Refuge
- Psalm 6 – Healing / Comfort
- Psalm 62 – Weak / Fear / Call to Trust in Him
- Psalm 103 – Song of Praise / Remember who God is
- More Scriptures to Pray
Writing Scripture in our in prayer journals allows us to refer to it later and see how God answers it. We may receive the answer immediately, or in a couple of weeks, a couple of years, or not until we get to heaven. Either way, whether you voice your prayers or write them, say your emergency prayer to God with confidence that He hears you.
Photo from DaySpring
How do you pray a powerful prayer?
The Bible is full of stories about the power of prayer. In my full article about unlocking the power of prayer, I talk about the three important lessons I learned to help me pray more powerfully.
- Be prepared to Pray – write prayer requests, sing songs of praise, recite scriptures.
- Understand the Privilege of Prayer – talking with a mighty, holy God! Pray with awe, reverence, and thanksgiving.
- Let Prayer be your First Response – pray first and pray often instead of waiting until you’ve exhausted all other options.
I hope these tips help you pray when you feel overwhelmed and encourage you to pray “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
You May Also Like: How to Bloom Where God Plants You with Grace
Emergency Numbers in the Bible
One of my favorite verses about faith is in Hebrews 6:
“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 6:19-20
God’s promises are truly anchors for our soul and our faith. Through the Bible, we are reminded of His unchanging nature and what He promises for His children. For that reason, I want to make sure I fight the battles of this world on my knees with these scriptures for emergency situations as my anchor. I hope you’ll join me. (Stay tuned for the printable version by subscribing below or check back soon.)
What scriptures are on your bible emergency numbers list?
Leave me a comment below!
Check out More Posts about Growing in Faith:
- 5 Strategies for How to Remove Fear from Mind and Heart
- Even Though…God is in Control
- Lessons and Stories to Unlock the Power of Prayer
- God’s Will is Always Standing and Always Sovereign
- 30+ Scriptures about God’s Love
Check out my freebies library with the best of my free printables and fun, inspiring phone screensavers to encourage you. These do not require any sign up. If you want to get more regular updates, subscribe below. Either way, thanks for visiting!