Sixteen short verses to read aloud to someone near the end of life, grouped by what the moment needs.
The psalms speak about dying from very close. Psalm 31 commits the writer's spirit into God's hand, and Luke 23:46 records Jesus saying those words as he died. Psalm 71 asks not to be forsaken in old age. Psalm 49 and Psalm 73 say that God will receive the writer. Psalm 55 admits the terror of death outright. Most of these verses are short enough to read aloud to someone who can no longer read for themselves.
The verses are grouped for reading at the bedside, for committing a life into God's hands, for hope beyond death, for the end of a long life, and for the fear of dying. Each takes less than a minute to read. This page is scripture. It is not medical or palliative care advice.
Short lines for someone who is very tired or no longer able to answer.
Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the LORD’s house forever.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Goodness and loving kindness follow all the days of my life, and the line ends with dwelling in the LORD's house forever. It looks back and forward in one sentence.
My soul stays close to you.Your right hand holds me up.
My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
My soul stays close to you, and your right hand holds me up. The holding is done by God, not by the one who is weak.
For the moment of letting go.
Into your hand I commend my spirit.You redeem me, LORD, God of truth.
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
Into your hand I commend my spirit. Luke 23:46 records Jesus saying into your hands I commit my spirit as he breathed his last.
My times are in your hand.Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
My times are in your hand. A short line that hands over the timing as well as the person.
For this God is our God forever and ever.He will be our guide even to death.
For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
This God is our God forever and ever, and he will be our guide even to death. The verse does not soften the word death.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you.You have held my right hand.
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
You have held my right hand. It comes straight after the writer calls himself senseless and ignorant, so the holding does not depend on his understanding.
A few lines in the psalms look past death. These are they.
You will show me the path of life.In your presence is fullness of joy.In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
The path of life, fullness of joy in God's presence, and pleasures forever more. Acts 2:28 quotes this psalm in Peter's sermon.
As for me, I shall see your face in righteousness.I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form.
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with seeing your form. The writer expects to see God's face.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,for he will receive me. Selah.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
The psalm has just said that the foolish are appointed for Sheol. Against that, the writer says God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.
You will guide me with your counsel,and afterward receive me to glory.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. The word afterward carries the hope of the line.
For an elderly parent or grandparent, in words an old person might use.
Don’t reject me in my old age.Don’t forsake me when my strength fails.
Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
Don't reject me in my old age. Don't forsake me when my strength fails. An old person's prayer, in the first person.
Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me,until I have declared your strength to the next generation,your might to everyone who is to come.
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
Even when I am old and gray haired, the writer asks to stay long enough to declare God's strength to the next generation.
They will still produce fruit in old age.They will be full of sap and green,
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Said of the righteous: they will still produce fruit in old age. The verse treats old age as a time of fruit, not only of decline.
The psalms do not pretend death is easy. These verses name the fear.
My heart is severely pained within me.The terrors of death have fallen on me.
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
The terrors of death have fallen on me. The fear is named outright, and the next verse adds trembling and horror.
The cords of death surrounded me,the pains of Sheol got a hold of me.I found trouble and sorrow.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
The cords of death and the pains of Sheol are described as already holding the writer. In the next verse he calls on the LORD's name.
I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the middle of my days.Your years are throughout all generations.
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
My God, don't take me away in the middle of my days. A prayer for a life ending early, set against God's years that last through all generations.
Psalm 23 is six verses long, short enough to read whole at a bedside. Verse 4 speaks of walking through the valley of the shadow of death with God present, and verse 6 ends with dwelling in the LORD's house forever. The valley verse is covered with the other shadow of death verses on the page about death, and the psalm's place in funeral services is on the funerals page.
Psalm 23 can be read whole in about a minute. Psalm 31:5, into your hand I commend my spirit, is the line Luke 23:46 records Jesus saying as he died.
Psalm 73:23 to 26 speaks of God holding the right hand, guiding, and afterward receiving the writer to glory, even as flesh and heart fail.
Psalm 71:9 and 71:18 ask not to be forsaken in old age and when gray haired. Psalm 92:14 says the righteous will still produce fruit in old age.
A few lines look beyond death. Psalm 16:11 speaks of the path of life and pleasures forever more, Psalm 49:15 says God will receive me, and Psalm 73:24 says afterward receive me to glory.
Psalm 55:4 says the terrors of death have fallen on me, and Psalm 116:3 to 4 describes the cords of death and a call on the LORD's name.
Psalms about DeathPsalms for Grief and the Loss of a Loved OnePsalms for the SickPsalms for FuneralsPsalms of HopePsalms for Comfort and Strength