The Bible shows that God is Lord over every storm, in the sky and in our lives. When the disciples cried out, Jesus "arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm" (Luke 8:24). Nahum says "the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm" (Nahum 1:3), and when His people "cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses" (Psalm 107:28).
Storms come in many forms. Some are literal: hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and winter storms that knock out power and threaten homes. Others are the storms of life: a frightening diagnosis, a job loss, a family crisis, a season when everything seems to go wrong at once. The Bible is full of both kinds, from Jonah's tempest to Paul's shipwreck, and at the centre is the night Jesus slept in a boat while His disciples panicked. These twelve King James verses tell the story of Jesus in the storm, show the Lord who rules the wind and waves, and offer an anchor for people still waiting for the storm to pass. For the related story, see Jesus walking on water; for enduring hard seasons, see strength in hard times.
Jesus in the storm
1. Matthew 8:24
"And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep."
The Sea of Galilee lies about 700 feet below sea level, ringed by hills, and winds can rush down onto it with little warning. Matthew's word for tempest is the one usually used for an earthquake: the whole sea was shaking. Experienced fishermen were terrified, but he was asleep. Jesus' rest was not carelessness; it was perfect trust in His Father.
2. Mark 4:38
"And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?"
Only Mark mentions the pillow, one of his vivid details; early church tradition says Mark drew on Peter's memories. The disciples' question is painfully honest: Master, carest thou not that we perish? Many of us have asked God the same thing in a storm. Jesus did not scold them for asking. He got up and dealt with the storm first, and only then talked with them about their faith.
3. Luke 8:24
"And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm."
Jesus rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, speaking to the storm the way He spoke to evil spirits. Mark records His words: "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39). Instantly there was a calm, not a gradual easing but complete stillness. The same voice that spoke creation into being can speak peace into your situation. See being still.
4. Luke 8:25
"And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him."
After the storm, Jesus asks, Where is your faith? Then the disciples ask the real question: What manner of man is this! Only God commands the winds and the sea (Psalm 89:9). The storm taught them who Jesus is. Often we come out of a storm knowing Jesus more deeply than we did when we went in.
The Lord of the wind and waves
5. Psalms 107:28
"Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses."
Psalm 107 describes sailors caught in a storm, their courage melting as their ship rises and falls (Psalm 107:23-27). Then they cry out, and God answers: "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still" (Psalm 107:29), and "he bringeth them unto their desired haven" (Psalm 107:30). The disciples on Galilee lived this psalm.
6. Psalms 65:7
"Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people."
God stills the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and in the same breath the tumult of the people. The storms of nature and the storms of society, crowds, conflicts and unrest, are both under His hand. When the news feels like a raging sea, this verse is a reminder that God can quiet both.
7. Nahum 1:3
"The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet."
Nahum describes God's power over the mighty empire of Assyria, and he uses weather to do it: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Storm clouds that seem huge to us are like dust kicked up by His steps. Notice that the verse begins with slow to anger: His power is ruled by His patience.
8. Psalms 29:10
"The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever."
Psalm 29 is a psalm about a thunderstorm, in which the voice of the LORD sounds seven times. It ends here: The LORD sitteth upon the flood. The Hebrew word for flood is the same one used for Noah's flood. God was enthroned above the worst storm in history, and He sitteth King for ever. See Jesus as King.
Anchored while the storm lasts
9. Psalms 55:8
"I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest."
David, betrayed by a close friend, longed to escape: "Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest" (Psalm 55:6). It is normal to want to run from the storm. David ends the psalm not with escape but with trust: "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee" (Psalm 55:22). See betrayal.
10. Isaiah 54:11
"O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires."
God speaks tenderly to His people as thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted. He sees exactly how battered they are. Then He promises to rebuild them with beautiful stones and foundations with sapphires. The storm is not the end; God's plan is to rebuild what it damaged, more beautiful than before. See restoration.
11. Acts 27:25
"Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."
Paul was a prisoner on a ship caught in a violent storm for two weeks, with no sun or stars in sight (Acts 27:20). After an angel promised that everyone would survive, Paul told the crew, be of good cheer: for I believe God. The ship was still wrecked, but all 276 people reached shore safely (Acts 27:37, 27:44). Faith does not always stop the storm; it holds on to God's word through it.
12. Proverbs 10:25
"As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation."
As the whirlwind passeth: storms pass, and what is not anchored is swept away. The righteous is an everlasting foundation. Jesus told a similar parable about two houses, one on rock and one on sand, facing the same storm (Matthew 7:24-27). The storm did not choose who to hit; the foundation made the difference.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, You are Lord of the wind and the waves. Right now the storm feels bigger than I am, and sometimes I wonder if You care. Thank You that You are in the boat with me. Speak Your peace into this storm, calm my fears, and bring us safely to the haven You have planned. When the storm does not stop as quickly as I want, help me hold on to Your word and believe that it will be as You have said. 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.
Print the free Psalm 23 printable for a reminder that He is with you · Carry Luke 8:24 and Nahum 1:3 with you on Scripture Memory Cards · Pour out your prayers in the storm with the 30-Day Prayer Journal
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about storms in life?
Scripture is honest that storms come to everyone, the faithful included, and it promises that God is present and in control in the middle of them. Jesus told His followers, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The calming of the storm shows that Jesus has authority over the forces that frighten us most. See trials and tribulations.
Where is the story of Jesus calming the storm?
It appears in three Gospels: Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25. Mark adds the most detail, including the pillow and Jesus' words "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39). A separate storm story, when Jesus walked on the water, is in Matthew 14, Mark 6 and John 6.
Does God send storms?
The Bible describes God as sovereign over weather, and occasionally He sends a storm for a purpose, as when "the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea" (Jonah 1:4) to stop Jonah running away. But Scripture never teaches that every storm or disaster is punishment for the people it hits. Jesus rejected that idea (Luke 13:1-5), and He rebuked the storm on Galilee. We live in a world that groans for redemption (Romans 8:22), and God is with us in it.
What Bible verse can I pray during a hurricane or severe storm?
Psalm 107:28-29 is a good short prayer, along with "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1) and "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee" (Isaiah 43:2). Pray, and also follow the instructions of your local emergency officials. See protection and fear.
During severe weather, follow your local emergency officials' instructions, and 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: Jesus walking on water · Strength in hard times · Trials and tribulations · Fear · The ocean · Rain · Peace · Being still
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