What the Bible says
What does the Bible say about loneliness?
Loneliness is real: God himself said “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18), and the psalmist prayed, “I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). God settles the solitary in a home (Psalm 68:6), above all in the family of the local church (Hebrews 10:24-25), and Christ promises his presence: “I will not leave you as orphans” and “I am with you always” (John 14:18; Matthew 28:20).
Key Bible verses about loneliness
- Genesis 2:18
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
- Psalm 25:16
Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.
- Psalm 68:5-6
A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God sets the lonely in families. He brings out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
- Psalm 27:10
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
- Psalm 139:7-10
Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
- Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged.”
- Isaiah 41:10
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
- John 14:18
I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.
- Matthew 28:20
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
- Hebrews 13:5
Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
- Hebrews 10:24-25
Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
- 2 Timothy 4:16-17
At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Scripture: World English Bible (public domain). Short quotations in the introduction are from the ESV. Read each passage in its chapter for the full context.
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