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Read with care

The passages include lament and encouragement without treating a verse as a way to end mourning. When sharing one with someone else, listen to what they need before offering words.

In John 11, Jesus weeps in the midst of the whole Lazarus story. Read the narrative rather than using its briefest verse to hurry someone through loss.

How to use these passages

A lament may be more helpful on one day and a passage of hope on another. Read at your own pace, and let the text name loss honestly. When sharing with someone grieving, offer presence and practical care as well as words.

Nine places to begin

Passages from this collection

This editorial collection contains 104 distinct passages. Read these examples in context, or use the generator to discover more.

Psalm 13:1-2

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? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?

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John 11:32-36

Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”

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Job 2:11-13

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him. When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

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Psalm 6:6-7

I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief. It grows old because of all my adversaries.

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Psalm 22:1-2

For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent.

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Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

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Psalm 30:5

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.

Read Psalm 30 →
Psalm 34:18

Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

Read Psalm 34 →
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