27 Peaceful Bible Verses on Rest

Encouraging Bible Verses on Rest to help you destress and even be used for sleep.

Rest is one of those things that can be really hard for people to grasp. It’s not just about sleeping or doing nothing. That, of course, is a form of resting.

And that is very important but a lot of restlessness is not just a physical issue but an emotional/spiritual issue. We are constantly bombarded by things that want to steal our peace and cause us stress.

It’s important that we invest in our rest! It’s been proven time and time again how importanting resting is. From good ol‘ sleeping to destressing. Our body, soul, and spirit need it!

Using Rest Bible Verses for Sleep

One of the best ways to combat restlessness is getting into God’s presence by praying and meditating on His word! This is very helpful for sleep.

Worry and anxiety are one of the leading causes of lack of sleep. There have been seasons in my life where I couldn’t sleep because of what was going on in my life.

Meditating and praying scriptures gets your mind off of all the “stuff” and onto the Prince of Peace! Jesus was able to sleep through the storm because His eyes were on the Father and not the wind.

We need to get our eyes and attention on God. This will help tremendously with our sleep. He promises his beloved sweet sleep (Psalm 127:1–2).

Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.

George Herbert

If bad dreams or nightmares are what is keeping you up then, please check out my article on How to Stop Nightmares Biblically. If you are restless at night I encourage you to check out these prayers: 20 Powerful Prayers for Sleepless Nights and 10 Peaceful Prayers for Sleep and a Restful Night

I have broken up the verses into Old and New Testament for easy studying.

Bible Verses On Rest

Genesis 2:2–3 NIV – By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Exodus 20:8–11 NIV – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God.

On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 33:14 NIV – The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Psalm 4:8 NIV – In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 23:1–2 NIV – A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

Psalm 37:7 NIV – Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 46:10 NIV – He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 62:1 NIV – For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.

Psalm 91:1–2 NIV – Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 116:7 NIV – Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

Psalm 127:2 NIV – In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat–for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Proverbs 3:24 NIV – When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Isaiah 14:3 NIV – On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you,

Isaiah 26:3 NIV – You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah 30:15 NIV – This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Isaiah 40:31 NIV – but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Jeremiah 31:25 NIV – I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Matthew 6:6, NIV – But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:25–34 NIV – Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you–you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 11:28–30 NIV – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Mark 2:27 NIV – Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Mark 6:31 NIV – Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Luke 5:16 NIV – But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Hebrews 4:9–11 NIV – There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Revelation 14:13 NIV – Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”