Crying is a natural human response to pain, suffering, and even joy. In the Bible, we find many references to tears—whether shed in sorrow, repentance, or prayer. The Scriptures show us that God sees every tear and hears the cries of His children. From the cries of the Israelites in Egypt to the tears of Jesus at Lazarus’ tomb, the Bible assures us that God is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Tears are not a sign of weakness but a reflection of the depth of our emotions and faith. Many times, crying is a way to release burdens and draw closer to God. The fact that even Jesus wept shows that expressing grief is a natural and important part of life. God values every tear we shed and understands the pain behind them.
In times of suffering, Christians are reminded that God is a source of comfort. He is near to those who weep and promises to bring peace and healing. Though pain and sorrow are part of our journey, we can trust that they will not last forever. God’s love and presence provide strength to endure even the hardest moments.
The Christian journey is filled with moments of deep emotion. Tears can be a sign of repentance, a cry for help, or an expression of joy. No matter the reason, God understands and responds to our tears with love. Here are seven powerful Christian quotes about crying and trusting in God.
Preachers Quotes
“Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it.” – Charles Spurgeon
“God is more concerned with our broken hearts than our empty hands.” – A.W. Tozer
“There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Sometimes God allows tears to flow to prepare us for greater joy.” – R.C. Sproul
“Every tear you shed is seen by God and stored in His bottle.” – John Piper
“Our tears are prayers too. They travel to God when we cannot speak.” – Charles Stanley
“Jesus wept, and in doing so, He dignified every tear we shed in His presence.” – Tim Keller
You might also be interested in: Bible verses about Sadness
Bible Verses About Crying
Psalm 34:17-18 – The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” – Psalm 34:17-18
Psalm 56:8 – God collects our tears.
“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?” – Psalm 56:8
Revelation 21:4 – God will wipe away every tear.
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4
John 11:35 – Jesus wept.
“Jesus wept.” – John 11:35
Isaiah 25:8 – Death and tears will be swallowed up.
“He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.” – Isaiah 25:8
Ecclesiastes 3:4 – A time to weep and a time to laugh.
“A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance.” – Ecclesiastes 3:4
Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn.
“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” – Matthew 5:4
Psalm 30:5 – Weeping may endure for a night.
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:5
Isaiah 41:10 – Do not fear, for God is with you.
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – God is the Father of mercies and comfort.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Psalm 126:5 – Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” – Psalm 126:5
Isaiah 61:3 – Beauty for ashes, joy for mourning.
“To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning.” – Isaiah 61:3
Hebrews 5:7 – Jesus prayed with tears.
“Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear.” – Hebrews 5:7
Psalm 39:12 – Hear my cry, O Lord.
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears.” – Psalm 39:12
Jeremiah 31:16 – Your work shall be rewarded.
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded.’” – Jeremiah 31:16
Job 16:20 – My eyes pour out tears to God.
“My friends scorn me; My eyes pour out tears to God.” – Job 16:20
Luke 7:38 – The woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears.
“And stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.” – Luke 7:38
Psalm 6:6 – I drench my couch with my tears.
“I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.” – Psalm 6:6
Isaiah 38:5 – I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears.
“I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.” – Isaiah 38:5
2 Kings 20:5 – God sees your tears.
“Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you.”’” – 2 Kings 20:5
Psalm 42:3 – My tears have been my food.
“My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” – Psalm 42:3
Psalm 126:6 – Going forth weeping but returning with joy.
“He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing.” – Psalm 126:6
Lamentations 2:18 – Cry out to the Lord.
“Their heart cried out to the Lord, ‘O wall of the daughter of Zion, Let tears run down like a river day and night; Give yourself no relief; Give your eyes no rest.’” – Lamentations 2:18
Jeremiah 9:1 – Oh, that my head were waters.
“Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!” – Jeremiah 9:1
Jeremiah 13:17 – My soul will weep in secret.
“But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears.” – Jeremiah 13:17
Lamentations 3:48 – Streams of tears flow from my eyes.
“My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter of my people.” – Lamentations 3:48
Joel 2:12 – Return to God with fasting and weeping.
“‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’” – Joel 2:12
Luke 22:62 – Peter wept bitterly.
“So Peter went out and wept bitterly.” – Luke 22:62
Acts 20:19 – Serving the Lord with many tears.
“Serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews.” – Acts 20:19
Acts 20:31 – Paul’s tears for the church.
“Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” – Acts 20:31
2 Corinthians 2:4 – Paul wrote with many tears.
“For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.” – 2 Corinthians 2:4
Hebrews 12:17 – Esau sought repentance with tears.
“For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” – Hebrews 12:17
James 4:9 – Let your laughter be turned to mourning.
“Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.” – James 4:9
Romans 12:15 – Weep with those who weep.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15
Genesis 45:2 – Joseph wept loudly.
“And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.” – Genesis 45:2
Exodus 2:6 – The baby Moses cried.
“And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept.” – Exodus 2:6
Deuteronomy 34:8 – The Israelites wept for Moses.
“And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days.” – Deuteronomy 34:8
1 Samuel 1:10 – Hannah wept bitterly.
“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.” – 1 Samuel 1:10
2 Samuel 12:21-22 – David wept for his child.
“Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ And he said, ‘While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, “Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?”’” – 2 Samuel 12:21-22
Nehemiah 1:4 – Nehemiah wept for Jerusalem.
“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” – Nehemiah 1:4
If you’re interested, here’s another article on: Bible verses about Despair
What Does The Bible Say About Crying
Crying is a natural part of life, and the Bible talks about it many times. In the Scriptures, people cry for different reasons—sadness, pain, repentance, and even joy. God sees every tear and cares deeply for those who are hurting. The Bible shows that crying is not a sign of weakness but a way to express our emotions and seek God’s comfort.
One of the most well-known verses about crying is Psalm 56:8, which says, “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?” This verse reminds us that God does not ignore our pain. He collects our tears, meaning He pays attention to every hurt we feel. He cares about us more than we can imagine.
Jesus Himself cried during His time on earth. In John 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible, it simply says, “Jesus wept.” He cried when His friend Lazarus died, even though He knew He would raise him from the dead. This shows us that Jesus understands our pain and grief. He does not tell us to hide our tears; instead, He shows us that it is okay to cry.
The Bible also tells us that God is close to those who are brokenhearted. Psalm 34:17-18 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” When we feel overwhelmed, God is there. He listens to our cries and promises to help us.
Crying is also a way to show repentance. In Joel 2:12, God calls His people to return to Him “with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Tears of repentance bring us closer to God. When we are truly sorry for our sins, He is ready to forgive and restore us.
Even though we cry now, the Bible promises that one day there will be no more tears. Revelation 21:4 says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.” This gives us hope that our pain is temporary. In heaven, there will be only joy and peace.
God does not ignore our tears. He sees them, He understands them, and He promises to comfort us. No matter what we go through, we can trust that He is with us and will bring us joy in the end.