Bible Verse AlarmBible verses about strength
Most of the Bible's strength verses were written to people who had run out of their own: exiles, soldiers facing bigger armies, a prophet who wanted to quit. That is good news if you are reading this tired. The verses below are grouped by the kind of strength you might be looking for today.
When you're worn out
Isaiah does not promise that God's people will never grow tired; he says even young people stumble. The promise is renewal for those who wait on the Lord. Paul learned the same thing the hard way: the weakness he begged God to remove became the place where Christ's power showed up most clearly. Being worn out is not the end of the story.
He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalms 73:26
Strength that isn't yours
Philippians 4:13 is often printed on gym walls, but Paul wrote it about contentment: being able to live with plenty or with hunger. The strength is Christ's, given for whatever circumstances God allows. Nehemiah says it another way: the joy of the Lord is your strength. Not your mood, His joy.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
Psalms 46:1
Then Nehemiah told them, Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
Nehemiah 8:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
Ephesians 6:10
Courage for a hard day
Moses spoke Deuteronomy 31:6 to a nation about to enter a land full of fortified cities, and he did not pretend the task was small. The reason for courage is not that the enemy is weak but that God goes with you. Habakkuk wrote his line right after admitting the fig tree might not bud and the fields might fail; his strength came anyway.
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
Psalms 28:7
GOD the Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer; He makes me walk upon the heights! For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:19
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — whom shall I dread?
Psalms 27:1
Strength to keep going
Some days need a burst of courage; most need endurance. These verses are for the long middle: the habit you are trying to keep, the person you are caring for, the work nobody sees. Paul's promise is specific: at the proper time you will reap a harvest, if you do not give up.
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
Hebrews 12:1
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way clear.
Psalms 18:32
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Frequently asked questions
What is the most powerful Bible verse about strength?
Isaiah 40:31 (those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength) is probably the best known. Philippians 4:13 and Psalm 46:1 are close behind.
What does Philippians 4:13 really mean?
In context, Paul is talking about contentment. He has learned to be content whether he has plenty or very little, and he says he can face all of it through Christ who gives him strength. It is a promise of endurance in every circumstance, not of success at any goal.
What Bible verse can I read when I feel weak?
2 Corinthians 12:9 is written for exactly that: God's grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in weakness. Psalm 73:26 is a short one to memorize.