A marriage anniversary is a day to thank God and look ahead. "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage" (Psalm 16:6) gives thanks for the years behind. For the years ahead, couples often choose "The LORD watch between me and thee" (Genesis 31:49) or the blessing "thou shalt see thy children's children" (Psalm 128:6).
Anniversaries come every year, and many couples look for a verse to write in a card, read at a dinner, print for a frame or use at a vow renewal. A first anniversary, a 25th and a 50th all call for something different, but every one is a chance to remember God's faithfulness. These twelve King James verses help you give thanks for your years together, celebrate a love that lasts, and bless the years ahead. For the wedding day itself, see wedding; for everyday married life, see married couples.
Thanking God for your years together
1. Psalms 16:6
"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."
In Israel, land was measured out with lines. David says his lot has fallen in pleasant places and he has a goodly heritage. It is a lovely line for a card: thank you, Lord, for the life we have been given together.
2. Psalms 40:5
"Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."
God's wonderful works and His thoughts toward us are more than can be numbered. An anniversary is a good night to try anyway: list the ways God has been good to you as a couple, year by year.
3. Psalms 145:7
"They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness."
They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness. Telling your story out loud, how you met, the hard years and the answered prayers, is a way of praising God. Your children and friends need to hear it too.
4. Joshua 23:14
"And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof."
At the end of his life Joshua told Israel that not one thing had failed of all the good things the LORD had promised. Couples marking 25, 40 or 50 years can often say the same. See faithfulness of God.
A love that lasts
5. Song of Solomon 5:16
"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."
The bride ends her description of her beloved with this: This is my beloved, and this is my friend. After many years, being best friends is one of the deepest gifts of marriage.
6. Proverbs 31:11-12
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
The husband of the virtuous woman safely trusts her, and she does him good all the days of her life. Trust built over years, more than grand gestures, is the heart of a lasting marriage. See wife.
7. Isaiah 62:5
"For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee."
God compares His joy over His people to a bridegroom's joy over his bride. Married love is meant to reflect that joy, and rejoicing over each other is still part of the calling many years after the wedding.
8. Proverbs 3:3-4
"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man."
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Kindness and faithfulness, practiced daily, keep a marriage strong through job changes, children, illness and age. See husbands.
Blessings for the years ahead
9. Jeremiah 32:39
"And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:"
God promised to give His people one heart, and one way. Couples can pray this over the next chapter of their marriage: one heart toward God and one direction together.
10. Psalms 128:5-6
"The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel."
This blessing for a God-fearing home ends with seeing your children's children. It is a favourite for silver and golden anniversaries, when grandchildren are often at the party. See grandmother.
11. Psalms 115:14-15
"The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth."
The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. It works as a simple blessing to read aloud at an anniversary dinner or to write under a family photo.
12. Genesis 31:49
"And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another."
Mizpah was first said between Jacob and Laban, who did not trust each other (Genesis 31:50-52), so it began as a warning. Today it is often used as a tender prayer for couples who are apart, asking the LORD to watch over both of you. See the FAQ below.
A short prayer
Lord, thank You for every year You have given us together. Our lines have fallen in pleasant places, and not one of Your good promises has failed. Keep mercy and truth in our home, give us one heart and one way, and let us grow old as best friends who still rejoice over each other. Watch between us, and bless the years ahead. 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.
Study and pray side by side with the Starter Bundle · Pray for your marriage in the year ahead with the 30-Day Prayer Journal · Print our free Bible verse bookmarks to tuck into an anniversary card
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Bible verse for a wedding anniversary card?
For a short card line, try "This is my beloved, and this is my friend" (Song of Solomon 5:16), "The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad" (Psalm 126:3), or "I have a goodly heritage" (Psalm 16:6). For another couple's card, "The LORD shall increase you more and more" (Psalm 115:14) works well. Our free Bible verse bookmarks fit inside a card.
What Bible verse is good for a 25th or 50th anniversary?
Big anniversaries are a time to remember God's faithfulness. Joshua's words fit well: "not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake" (Joshua 23:14). Psalm 128:6 blesses a couple to see "thy children's children" (Psalm 128:6), and Psalm 92:14 says the righteous "shall still bring forth fruit in old age" (Psalm 92:14).
Is the Mizpah verse romantic?
In context, Genesis 31:49 was spoken between Jacob and his father-in-law Laban as a boundary marker, after years of distrust (Genesis 31:44-52). Over time Christians began using it as a prayer for loved ones who are apart, and many couples engrave it on rings or necklaces. It is fine to use it that way, as long as you know where it comes from.
How can we celebrate our anniversary in a Christ-centered way?
Read your wedding vows or the verses from your ceremony again, pray together, and thank God for specific memories. Some couples renew their vows, write each other a letter, or choose one verse for the year ahead. Our Starter Bundle pairs a study journal and a prayer journal if you want to study and pray side by side.
A loving marriage never includes threats, control or violence. If you are being harmed, please reach out for help. In the US, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
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 for a wedding · Bible verses for married couples · Bible verses about love and marriage · Bible verses for husbands · Bible verses for your wife · Bible verses about the faithfulness of God · Bible verses for strength and love · Bible verses about dancing · Bible verses about laughing
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