Whenever a tormenting spirit came over Saul, David would pick up his harp and play, and Scripture says relief would come, the spirit lifted, and Saul would feel better. It wasn’t a cure. It was consistent, patient presence, showing up again and again for someone in a dark place.
These thirty verses are for someone you love who’s depressed, prayed with that same steady presence rather than a quick fix. For their mind’s deeper healing, a prayer for healing of the mind is worth praying alongside this one.
Pray these by their name, and keep showing up for them even when nothing seems to change right away.
Prayer for Someone Who Is Depressed
1. 1 Samuel 16:23 (KJV)
“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”
Prayer: Let there be relief for them, the way David’s presence brought relief to Saul.
Let my steady presence be one small part of how You bring them comfort.
2. Psalms 42:5 (KJV)
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
Prayer: Let them ask themselves honestly why they’re downcast, and let hope in You be their answer.
Let this honest question lead them somewhere true, not just numb.
3. Psalms 34:18 (KJV)
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Prayer: You are close to the brokenhearted, close to them right now.
Let nearness be real for them, not just a comforting idea.
4. Psalms 147:3 (KJV)
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Prayer: You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.
Let this binding up reach whatever’s weighing them down.
5. Isaiah 61:1-3 (KJV)
“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; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
Prayer: Bind up their broken heart, give them beauty instead of ashes.
Let this exchange be real for them, even if it takes time to feel it.
6. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Prayer: You are the God of all comfort, comfort them in this darkness.
Let comfort actually reach them, not just circle around them.
7. Psalms 40:1-2 (KJV)
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
Prayer: Let You lift them out of this pit, the way You lifted the psalmist.
Let this take however long it takes, but let it happen.
8. Psalms 30:5 (KJV)
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Prayer: Weeping may stay for the night, but let joy come in the morning for them.
Let this morning bring at least a little of that joy back.
9. Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)
“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Prayer: Your mercies are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness, for them today.
Let today be a fresh start, not just a continuation of yesterday’s darkness.
10. 1 Kings 19:4-8 (KJV)
“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”
Prayer: Let You meet them the way You met Elijah, with rest and something simple first.
Let their basic needs be tended to, not just their feelings.
11. Psalms 6:6 (KJV)
“I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.”
Prayer: They are worn out from groaning. Let You meet them in this exhaustion.
Let this exhaustion be brought to You, not just endured alone.
12. Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)
“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Prayer: Let the joy of the Lord be their strength, even a small measure of it today.
Let joy return gradually, not all at once.
13. Isaiah 40:29-31 (KJV)
“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Prayer: You give strength to the weary. Meet them exactly there today.
Let renewed strength arrive right when the old kind runs out for them.
14. Psalms 55:22 (KJV)
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Prayer: Let them cast this heaviness on You, trusting You to sustain them.
Let sustaining happen instead of them carrying this alone.
15. 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Prayer: Let them cast this whole weight onto You, because You genuinely care.
Let casting it be a real release for them, not just words.
16. Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Prayer: They are weary and burdened, let them come to You and find rest.
Let rest be real for them, not just a pause before more heaviness.
17. Romans 12:15 (KJV)
“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
Prayer: Let me mourn with them, not rush them toward feeling better.
Let me actually feel something for what they’re carrying.
18. Galatians 6:2 (KJV)
“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Prayer: Let me help carry this burden, fulfilling Your law of love.
Let this carrying be real, not just a sympathetic phrase.
19. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV)
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
Prayer: Two are better than one, if one falls, let the other help them up.
Let me be the one who helps lift them up right now.
20. Job 6:14 (KJV)
“To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.”
Prayer: A despairing person needs the kindness of friends. Let me be that friend to them.
Let kindness be practical, not just theoretical.
21. Job 2:11-13 (KJV)
“Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.”
Prayer: Let me have the wisdom to simply sit with them, the way Job’s friends first did.
Let presence, not explanations, be what I offer them first.
22. Psalms 34:17 (KJV)
“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”
Prayer: Let them cry out, and let You hear and deliver them from their troubles.
Let their cry be heard clearly, even through this darkness.
23. Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Prayer: Let them bring this to You, and let peace guard their heart and mind.
Let peace settle in, even without a clear reason they can name.
24. Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Prayer: Don’t let them be dismayed, You are their God, You will strengthen and help them.
Let help come before this feeling gets any heavier for them.
25. Psalms 121:1-2 (KJV)
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
Prayer: Let their eyes lift to the hills, their help coming from You.
Let their eyes stay lifted, even on a low day.
26. Romans 15:13 (KJV)
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Prayer: Fill them with joy and peace as they trust You, so they overflow with hope.
Let hope be the overflow, even on a day it feels far away for them.
27. Psalms 71:20-21 (KJV)
“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. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.”
Prayer: Though You’ve let them see trouble, restore their life again and comfort them once more.
Let comfort follow this darkness the way it always has before.
28. 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Prayer: You gave them a spirit not of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
Let a sound mind be genuinely restored for them, not just managed.
29. Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Prayer: You know the plans You have for them, plans to prosper them and give them hope.
Let this darkness be a chapter, not the whole story for them.
30. Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Prayer: Bless them and keep them, make Your face shine on them, and give them peace.
Let this old blessing meet them exactly where they are right now.
Conclusion
David didn’t cure Saul’s darkness. He just kept showing up with his harp, again and again, offering what relief he could each time. If you’re caring for someone who’s depressed, that kind of consistent, unglamorous presence, showing up without needing to fix everything, is worth far more than it might feel like in the moment.
Check in on them today with a specific, low-pressure question, not just a general how are you.
For a smaller, more personal low that isn’t as severe, a prayer for feeling down is worth reading too.