Deuteronomy 11:12 describes a land God watches over "from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." Looking back, Samuel said, "Hitherto hath the LORD helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12). Looking ahead, "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established" (Proverbs 16:3), and plan humbly: "If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (James 4:15).
Few days feel as full of possibility as January 1. People pick a word for the year, write resolutions, or start a Bible reading plan. Scripture offers a steadier way to cross from one year into the next: trust God with the whole year, look back and remember how He helped you, and make plans with open hands. These twelve King James verses suit a New Year's Eve service, a card, or the first page of a new journal. For verses about a personal fresh start, see new beginnings; for a guided first week, try our free 7-Day New Year Scripture Focus Plan.
God holds the whole year
1. Deuteronomy 11:12
"A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year."
Moses described the promised land as a place the LORD thy God careth for, with His eyes always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. It is a fitting promise to pray over the twelve months ahead.
2. Joshua 3:5
"And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you."
On the eve of crossing the Jordan into a new land, Joshua told the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. It makes a fine New Year's Eve verse: prepare your heart tonight and expect God to work tomorrow.
3. Psalms 37:23
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way."
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD. You cannot see the whole year from January 1, but God orders it step by step, and He delights in the way of those who walk with Him.
4. Isaiah 58:11
"And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
The LORD shall guide thee continually, even in drought, and make you like a watered garden. Whatever dry seasons the new year holds, God's guidance does not run out; it is like a spring of water whose waters fail not.
Look back and remember
5. 1 Samuel 7:12
"Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us."
After a victory, Samuel set up a stone and named it Eben-ezer, stone of help, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. Before you write resolutions, write down where God helped you this past year. The hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing borrows this same word.
6. Psalms 103:2
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:"
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Memory fades fast, so gratitude has to be practised on purpose. On New Year's Eve, try listing twelve blessings from the past year, one for each month.
7. Deuteronomy 8:2
"And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."
Israel was told to remember all the way God led them for forty years, including the hard stretches meant to humble and prove them. Looking back honestly at a difficult year can show how God was shaping you even then.
8. Psalms 77:11
"I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old."
Psalm 77 begins in sleepless trouble, then turns when Asaph says, I will remember the works of the LORD. On the last night of the year, remembering God's past faithfulness is one of the best ways to face the unknown.
Plans, goals and resolutions
9. Proverbs 16:3
"Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established."
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Resolutions are not wrong; this verse simply gives the order: hand your plans to God first, and He steadies them.
10. Habakkuk 2:2
"And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it."
God told Habakkuk, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so that whoever reads it can run with it. Writing down goals for the year is a biblical habit, as long as the vision grows out of listening to God.
11. James 4:15
"For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
James warns against boasting about tomorrow (James 4:13-14) and teaches us to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. Good New Year plans are held with open hands.
12. Psalms 90:17
"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."
The same psalm that asks God to teach us to number our days (Psalm 90:12) ends with establish thou the work of our hands upon us. It is a beautiful New Year blessing for your job, your home and your service.
A short prayer
Father, thank You for carrying me through this past year; hitherto You have helped me. I give You the year ahead, every month, every plan, and every unknown. Order my steps, guide me continually, and establish the work of my hands. If You will, I will live and do this or that, for Your glory. 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.
Get our free 7-Day New Year Scripture Focus Plan · Start the free One-Year Bible Reading Plan · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Bible verse for the New Year?
For trust, Deuteronomy 11:12 or Proverbs 16:3. For looking back, 1 Samuel 7:12. For a fresh start, Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I will do a new thing" (Isaiah 43:19), and Lamentations 3:22-23; both appear on our new beginnings page.
Are New Year's resolutions biblical?
The Bible never mentions resolutions, but it encourages planning under God: "Commit thy works unto the LORD" (Proverbs 16:3) and "Write the vision, and make it plain" (Habakkuk 2:2). It also warns against proud plans that leave God out (James 4:13-16). Keep goals few, written down and prayed over.
What is a watch night service on New Year's Eve?
Many churches, especially in Methodist and African American traditions, hold a watch night service on December 31 to pray the old year out and the new year in. John Wesley's Methodists held watch nights from the 1740s, and on December 31, 1862 many Black churches kept watch for the Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863.
How should I start the new year with God?
Start small: choose one verse for the year, pick a Bible reading plan, and set a daily time. Our free One-Year Bible Reading Plan starts on January 1, and the free 7-Day New Year Focus Plan makes a gentle warm-up week. If big choices are ahead, see making decisions.
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 new beginnings · Bible verses about time · Bible verses about making decisions · Bible verses about revival · Bible verses about putting God first · Bible verses about the faithfulness of God
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
