The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
If the Lord is your light and salvation, whom shall you fear?
Bible Verses About Fear
“Fear not” is one of the most repeated commands in the Bible, and it almost always comes with a reason: God is with you. Psalm 56:3 is honest about the feeling: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Here is a verse for whatever you are afraid of right now.
A verse for you
Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
If the Lord is your light and salvation, whom shall you fear?
KJV16 Bible verses about fear
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Fear not: the God who made you has redeemed you, knows your name and calls you His own.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
An honest prayer for frightening moments: when I am afraid, I will trust in You.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
In the storm at night, Jesus speaks first: take heart, it is I, do not be afraid.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Even in the valley of the shadow of death, you are not alone.
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Be strong and of good courage. He will not fail you nor forsake you.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
With the Lord on your side, what people can do to you no longer has the last word.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Courage is commanded because God goes with you wherever you go.
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.
God promises His presence, His strength and His help when fear is loud.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Jesus calls His fearful followers a little flock, and tells them the Father is glad to give them the kingdom.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Not even a sparrow falls without your Father, and He knows the hairs on your head. You are worth more.
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
A heart fixed on God can hear bad news without being ruled by dread.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
David’s testimony from a frightening time: he sought the Lord, and the Lord answered and freed him from all his fears.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Paul to a timid young pastor: the Spirit God gives is not one of cowardice, but of power, love and a sound mind. Feeling afraid is not failing, and you are not left alone in it.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
John is speaking of the fear of judgment (v. 17): whoever is loved by God need not dread His punishment. Fear is not a verdict on you; it is what His love sets out to heal.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord: reverent awe that takes God seriously, not terror.
What the Bible says
The Bible never pretends there is nothing to be afraid of. Its “fear not” verses are spoken into real danger: Joshua facing a land of walled cities, disciples rowing through a storm at night, women at an empty tomb before dawn. And the reason given is almost never ‘it will all be fine.’ It is ‘I am with you’: “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.”
Fear and anxiety overlap, but they are not quite the same. Anxiety is often a general unease about what might happen; fear usually has a face: a diagnosis, a court date, a flight, a person, the dark. The psalms meet it with an honest question, “whom shall I fear?”, and a decision: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” David does not claim he never feels afraid; he says what he does when he is. If what you are carrying is more like constant worry or racing thoughts, see our verses for anxiety.
“The fear of the Lord” means something different. When Proverbs says “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” it means awe and reverence, taking God seriously as God, not terror of a God waiting to punish. When John writes that “perfect love casteth out fear,” he is speaking of dread of judgment: those who know they are loved by God need not live in it. Reverence and trust grow together.
Some fear is a warning worth listening to. If you are afraid because someone is threatening or hurting you, getting safe is not a lack of faith: in the US, call 911 if you are in danger, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233. If fear has turned into panic attacks or keeps you from daily life, talk to a doctor or a counselor. And if you are afraid of what you might do to yourself, reach out right away: in the US, call or text 988; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
A prayer
Lord, You are my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? You know what frightens me, and I will not pretend it is nothing. What time I am afraid, I will trust in You. You have called me by name, and I am Yours. Walk with me through this valley, and let me hear You say, Be not afraid; it is I. Amen.
Questions people ask
What is the best Bible verse for fear?
Psalm 56:3 is the shortest and most honest: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 27:1 and Isaiah 43:1 are also much loved, and Isaiah 41:10 (“Fear thou not; for I am with thee”) has its own page.
How many times does the Bible say “fear not”?
The popular claim of 365, one for every day of the year, is not accurate. In the King James Version the exact words “fear not” appear a little over sixty times; counting “be not afraid” and similar commands, the total is roughly a hundred. The number matters less than the reason that comes with them: God is with you.
What does “the fear of the Lord” mean?
Reverence and awe: honoring God as holy and taking His word seriously. It is “the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10), not a fear that drives you away. The same Bible says “There is no fear in love” (1 John 4:18): God’s children are invited to trust Him, not to dread Him.
Is it a sin to be afraid?
No. Fear is a human response to danger, and faithful people in the Bible felt it often. In Gethsemane Jesus “began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy” (Mark 14:33). “Fear not” is an invitation to trust, not a rebuke for feeling.
Where can I get help right now if fear is overwhelming me?
If you are in danger or thinking about ending your life, please reach out now. In the US, call 911 in an emergency, or call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and open day and night. Outside the US, call your local emergency number. Then tell someone you trust; you do not have to face this alone.
Keep exploring
Bible Verses for Anxiety and WorryThe best-known Bible verses for anxiety and worry are Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7 and…Isaiah 41:10Isaiah 41:10 is the verse many people hold onto when they are afraid.Bible Verses About CourageIn the Bible, courage is not the absence of fear.Bible Verses for ProtectionThe best-known Bible verses for protection from evil and danger are Psalm 91:1-2, Psalm…Psalm 27Psalm 27 is a psalm of courage in the face of fear, headed as a psalm of David.Bible Verses About TrustTrusting God is not having every answer; it is leaning on Him when you do not.Psalm 91Psalm 91 is known as the psalm of protection.