The Bible does not promise that a break up will not hurt, but it promises God is near while it does. David prayed, "I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble" (Psalm 142:2). God says, "yet will I not forget thee" (Isaiah 49:15), and "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD" (Psalm 37:23), even after a relationship ends.
A break up can feel like a small grief: the plans you made together are suddenly gone, and the person you talked to every day is not there. Whether you ended it, they did, or you both knew it had to end, these twelve King James verses can help. They give words for honest prayer when it hurts, wisdom for letting go and moving forward, and reminders of what God says about your worth and your future. This page is about dating relationships; for a marriage in trouble, see marriage problems, and for heartbreak of every kind, see a broken heart.
When it hurts: honest prayers after a break up
1. Psalms 142:2
"I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble."
David wrote this psalm while hiding in a cave (see its title). He did not tidy up his feelings before he prayed; he poured out his complaint. You can tell God exactly how much the break up hurts.
2. Psalms 6:6
"I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears."
Crying yourself to sleep is in the Bible. David says he watered his couch with his tears. Tears are not a lack of faith, and before the psalm closes David is confident that the LORD has heard him (Psalm 6:9).
3. Psalms 25:16-17
"Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses."
Loneliness often hits hardest after a relationship ends. This is a prayer for exactly that moment: turn to me and have mercy, for I am desolate. God welcomes the prayer of a lonely heart. See loneliness.
4. Psalms 31:7
"I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;"
God has considered my trouble and known my soul in adversities. Nobody else may fully understand what you lost, but God does, and David found reasons to be glad in His mercy even in a hard season.
Letting go and moving forward
5. Ecclesiastes 3:6
"A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;"
There is a time to keep and a time to cast away. Letting go of a relationship, and later of the photos, gifts and old messages, can be part of God's timing rather than a failure. Do it when you are ready.
6. Proverbs 4:25-26
"Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established."
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Moving on often means choosing not to keep checking their social media or replaying old conversations, and pondering the path in front of you instead. See guard your heart.
7. Psalms 116:7
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee."
The psalmist tells his own soul to return to rest because the LORD has dealt bountifully with him. After a break up, rest and remembering God's past kindness are real steps toward healing.
8. Hosea 2:15
"And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt."
The valley of Achor was remembered as the valley of trouble (Joshua 7:24-26). God promises to make that very valley a door of hope. The place where something ended can become the place where something new begins. See new beginning.
Your worth and your future
9. Isaiah 49:15-16
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."
Even a nursing mother might forget her child, God says, yet He will not forget you. You may feel forgotten or replaced, but you are engraved on the palms of His hands.
10. Isaiah 62:4
"Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married."
God promised His people they would no longer be called Forsaken but Hephzi-bah, which means my delight is in her. Rejection by a person does not change how the LORD sees you. See self-esteem.
11. Psalms 37:23-24
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."
Your steps are ordered by the LORD, and even if you fall, you will not be utterly cast down. A relationship ending is not the end of God's plan for your life.
12. 1 Corinthians 7:32
"But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:"
Paul saw real good in being single: an unmarried person can care for the things of the Lord without divided attention. Singleness is not a waiting room; it can be a season of growth, friendship and service.
A short prayer
Lord, You know how much this hurts. I pour out my heart before You, and I ask You to turn to me and have mercy, for I feel desolate. Help me to let go of what has ended and to look straight ahead. Remind me that You have not forgotten me, that my steps are ordered by You, and that You can turn this valley of trouble into a door of hope. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Write honest prayers through the hard days with the 30-Day Prayer Journal · Download our free SOAP study page · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about break ups?
The Bible does not mention dating break ups directly, but it speaks to every part of one. It gives permission to grieve, since there is "A time to weep" (Ecclesiastes 3:4), it warns against being "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14), and it promises that God heals "the broken in heart" (Psalm 147:3). Sometimes ending a relationship is the wise and godly choice.
How do I get over a break up as a Christian?
Give yourself time to grieve and be honest with God (Psalm 142:2). Lean on friends and your church family rather than isolating. Set healthy boundaries with your ex, such as muting their accounts for a while (Proverbs 4:25). Keep your normal rhythms of sleep, meals, work and worship, and write your prayers down so you can see God's faithfulness later. Our 30-Day Prayer Journal can help with that.
Should I try to get back together with my ex?
Pray, slow down and ask honest questions. Was the relationship pulling you toward God or away from Him? Were there red flags, such as control, cheating or unbelief (2 Corinthians 6:14)? Talk to a wise friend or pastor, because "in the multitude of counsellors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14). If the relationship was abusive, do not go back; your safety comes first.
Is it wrong to feel angry or sad after a break up?
No. Feelings are not sins. Scripture says "Be ye angry, and sin not" (Ephesians 4:26), which means you can feel anger without acting on it through revenge, gossip or cruel messages. Sadness is normal too: Jesus Himself wept (John 11:35). If the sadness will not lift after several weeks, or you feel hopeless, talk to a pastor, doctor or counselor.
If your relationship involved abuse, threats or control, you do not have to go back, and help is available. In the US, you can reach loveisrespect (for dating relationships) at 1-866-331-9474 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger. If you feel hopeless or have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about a broken heart · Bible verses about a broken relationship · Bible verses about relationships with a boyfriend · Bible verses for your girlfriend · Bible verses about loneliness · Bible verses about guarding your heart · Bible verses for strength and love · Bible verses about discouragement · Bible verses about hate
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