God promises, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5; Deuteronomy 31:6, 8). Jesus said, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). The Lord goes with you (Deuteronomy 31:8); His presence is help in trouble (Psalm 46:1) and nearness even in the valley (Psalm 23:4).
"God is always with us" is one of Scripture's steadiest promises: His presence, not our feelings, is the fact. These twelve King James passages focus on God never leaving, going with His people, and being present in every place. For loneliness as an ache needing comfort, see our lonely page; for fear, see fear.
I will never leave thee
1. Hebrews 13:5
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The New Testament repeats the old promise so contentment can rest on presence, not possessions.
2. Deuteronomy 31:6
"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 a good courage... for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Courage is fueled by companionship.
3. Deuteronomy 31:8
"And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."
The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. He goes before and stays with.
4. Matthew 28:20
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. The Great Commission ends with perpetual presence—mission on the basis of "I am with you."
Present in trouble and the valley
5. Isaiah 41:10
"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."
Fear thou not; for I am with thee... I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Presence includes upholding, not only watching.
6. Isaiah 43:2
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee... through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. Presence does not always remove the water; it meets you in it.
7. Psalms 23:4
"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."
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. The turning point of the psalm is "thou art with me."
8. Psalms 46:1
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. He is not distant help—very present.
Wherever you go
9. Joshua 1:9
"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."
Be strong and of a good courage... for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Wherever includes the hard assignment ahead.
10. Genesis 28:15
"And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."
Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. Jacob heard presence and keeping as a traveling promise.
11. Psalms 139:7-10
"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."
Whither shall I go from thy spirit?... If I take the wings of the morning... even there shall thy hand lead me. You cannot outrun His presence.
12. Psalms 9:10
"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."
They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Knowing His name and trusting Him rest on this: He does not forsake seekers.
A short prayer
Lord, You have said You will never leave me nor forsake me. When I feel alone, remind me that Your presence is fact. Go with me today, uphold me with Your right hand, and help me trust that You are a very present help. 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.
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Frequently asked questions
Where does the Bible say God will never leave you?
Hebrews 13:5: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." The same promise appears in Deuteronomy 31:6 and 31:8.
What did Jesus say about always being with us?
Matthew 28:20: "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
Does God's presence mean life will be easy?
No. Isaiah 43:2 speaks of passing through waters and fire with God; Psalm 23:4 places His presence in the valley. Presence is companionship in trouble, not always removal of trouble.
What if I feel God is far away?
Feelings fluctuate; the promise does not (Hebrews 13:5). Psalm 139 says you cannot flee His Spirit. For the ache of loneliness, see our lonely page; keep seeking Him (Psalm 9:10).
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 feeling lonely · Bible verses about fear · Bible verses about hope · Bible verses about trusting God · Bible verses about peace
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