"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it" (Psalm 127:1). "Through wisdom is an house builded" (Proverbs 24:3). Jesus told His disciples to say, "Peace be to this house" (Luke 10:5). And He promised, "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2).
Home is more than an address. It is where we rest, eat, argue, forgive and welcome people in. Scripture has a lot to say about the houses we live in: God is the true builder, wisdom furnishes the rooms, peace and hospitality fill them, and our final home is with Him. These twelve King James verses are good for blessing a new home, choosing a verse for the wall, or praying over the house before the holidays fill it with guests. For verses about the people inside, see Bible verses about family.
Let the LORD build the house
1. Psalms 127:1
"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
This psalm of Solomon begins with the foundation of every home: except the LORD build the house, the work is in vain. Mortgages, renovations and schedules matter, but a home that lasts is built on God.
2. Proverbs 24:3-4
"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches."
Wisdom builds the house, understanding establishes it, and knowledge fills the chambers with precious and pleasant riches. The richest furnishings of a home are not things but wise, kind patterns of life.
3. Proverbs 3:33
"The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just."
The LORD blesseth the habitation of the just. God's blessing rests on homes where people do what is right. A small apartment where God is honored is richer than a mansion without Him.
4. Deuteronomy 6:9
"And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."
God told Israel to write His words upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. This is why many families hang Scripture by the door, and why Jewish homes keep a mezuzah. Words on the wall are meant to become words in the heart (Deuteronomy 6:6).
A house of peace and welcome
5. Isaiah 32:18
"And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;"
Isaiah pictures God's people in a peaceable habitation, in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. It is a beautiful verse to pray over a new home, or over a household that has known turmoil.
6. Luke 10:5
"And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house."
Jesus told the seventy to bless each house they entered: Peace be to this house. Christians still use these words when blessing a home. Speak peace over your own front door before you speak it over anyone else's.
7. Hebrews 13:2
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, as Abraham did in Genesis 18. Hospitality turns a house into a place of blessing for others, especially in the holiday season.
8. Proverbs 17:1
"Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife."
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. A simple meal in a peaceful home beats a lavish feast full of tension, which is worth remembering before big holiday gatherings.
Our forever home with God
9. Psalms 90:1
"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations."
Moses, who spent forty years in the wilderness without a settled house, prayed, Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Whether you rent, own, move often or feel far from home, God Himself is home.
10. John 14:2
"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
In my Father's house are many mansions. Jesus said this the night before the cross to comfort His friends. Mansions here means dwelling places: there is room for you, and He has gone to prepare it.
11. 2 Corinthians 5:1
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Paul compares our bodies to a tent, our earthly house of this tabernacle. When it is taken down, believers have a building of God, eternal in the heavens. Every earthly house is temporary; our true home is not.
12. Revelation 21:3
"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."
The Bible ends with God moving in: the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. The whole story of Scripture is God making His home with His people.
A short prayer
Lord, You are our dwelling place. Build this house and keep it. Fill every room with Your peace, our table with thankfulness, and our door with welcome. Watch over those who live here and those who visit, and make our home a small picture of Your forever home. 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.
Download our free SOAP study page · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Put a verse on the fridge with our Scripture Memory Cards
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Bible verse for a new home?
Popular house-blessing verses include Psalm 127:1, Joshua 24:15, Isaiah 32:18 and Luke 10:5, "Peace be to this house." Many people write one in the front of a guest book or frame it by the door, as Deuteronomy 6:9 describes.
How do you bless a house with Scripture?
Walk through the home with family or friends, read a verse in each room, and pray for the people who will live in and visit it. Luke 10:5, Psalm 127:1 and Numbers 6:24-26 make a simple order. There is no required ritual; the blessing is God's, and prayer invites it.
What Bible verse is best for a home wall?
The most popular is Joshua 24:15, "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15), followed by Psalm 127:1, Proverbs 24:3 and Psalm 90:1. Choose a verse your family will be glad to see every day.
What does the Bible say about our home in heaven?
Jesus promised a place in His Father's house (John 14:2-3), Paul calls it "an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1), and Revelation 21:3 says God Himself will dwell with His people.
If home is not a safe place for you right now, you are not alone and it is not your fault. In the US, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788, or call 911 in an emergency.
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 family · Bible verses about parenting · Bible verses about love and marriage · Bible verses about peace · Bible verses about helping other people · Bible verses about night
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