The Bible's classic picture of a strong woman is Proverbs 31: "She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms" (Proverbs 31:17), and "Strength and honour are her clothing" (Proverbs 31:25). Her strength comes from God: "the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song" (Isaiah 12:2). Deborah, Esther and Abigail show what that strength looks like in action.
Searches for strong woman verses usually come from two places: a woman who needs strength for a hard season, or someone looking for a verse to give her in a card, a journal or a Christmas gift. These twelve King James verses serve both. The first group shows where a woman's strength comes from, the second tells the stories of strong women of the Bible, and the third offers strength for ordinary and hard days. For Proverbs 31 and women of faith, see women; for strength in general, see strength.
Strength that comes from God
1. Proverbs 31:17
"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms."
The woman of Proverbs 31 is strong in body and in purpose: she works, plans, buys a field and plants a vineyard (Proverbs 31:16). Girding the loins meant tying up a long robe to work freely. Her strength is put to use for others.
2. Psalms 46:5
"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early."
Read in context, her in this verse is the city of God, where God dwells (Psalm 46:4). Many women still claim it as a personal promise, and the picture fits: with God in the midst, she shall not be moved, and His help comes early.
3. Isaiah 12:2
"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation."
Strength here is not self-made. Isaiah sings that the LORD Himself is strength, song and salvation. A strong woman is first a trusting woman: I will trust, and not be afraid.
4. Psalms 62:6
"He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved."
David calls God his rock and his defence twice in Psalm 62 (verses 2 and 6). On days when she feels shaken, a woman of God can say the same words and stand on the same rock.
Strong women of the Bible
5. Judges 5:7
"The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel."
Deborah judged Israel and led the people when village life had broken down. She calls herself a mother in Israel, joining courage and care. Her story is told in Judges 4 and 5.
6. Esther 4:16
"Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."
Before risking her life to save her people, Esther asked for three days of fasting. Her famous words, if I perish, I perish, show that strength can be quiet, prayerful and very brave at the same time. See fasting.
7. 1 Samuel 25:3
"Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb."
Abigail was a woman of good understanding married to a harsh man. When David was ready to take revenge, she acted quickly and spoke wisely, and David blessed her for her advice (1 Samuel 25:32-33). Wisdom is a form of strength.
8. Hebrews 11:11
"Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."
Sarah received strength through faith, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Her laugh of doubt in Genesis 18 became a laugh of joy in Genesis 21. Strong faith can grow out of honest questions.
Strength for ordinary and hard days
9. Mark 14:8
"She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying."
Jesus defended a woman who anointed Him when others criticized her. She hath done what she could is a gentle word for any tired mother, caregiver or worker: God sees what you gave, not only what you could not do.
10. Isaiah 54:4
"Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."
This promise speaks to shame, failure and widowhood. God tells His people they will forget the shame of their youth. It is a tender verse for a widow, a single mother or a woman starting over.
11. 1 Samuel 30:6
"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."
David's own men blamed him and spoke of stoning him, yet he encouraged himself in the LORD his God. When no one else is there to encourage her, a strong woman can do the same: remember who God is, and pray.
12. Zephaniah 3:16
"In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack."
Let not thine hands be slack means do not let your hands hang down in discouragement. The very next verse says the LORD is mighty in the midst of His people and rejoices over them with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).
A short prayer
Lord, You are my strength and my song. Gird me with strength for the work You have given me, and do not let me be moved when life shakes. Give me the courage of Esther, the wisdom of Abigail and the faith of Sarah, and help me use my strength to serve others with love. 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.
Give the Scripture Memory Cards to a strong woman in your life · Pray for strength daily with the 30-Day Prayer Journal · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about a strong woman?
Proverbs 31 is the key passage. It describes a woman who "girdeth her loins with strength" (Proverbs 31:17) and says "Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come" (Proverbs 31:25). Her strength shows in work, kindness, wisdom and faith, and Proverbs 31:30 gives the root of it: she fears the LORD.
Who are the strong women in the Bible?
Deborah the judge (Judges 4-5), Queen Esther (Esther 4), Abigail (1 Samuel 25), Ruth (Ruth 1-4), Hannah (1 Samuel 1), Mary the mother of Jesus (Luke 1) and Lydia (Acts 16) are often named. Each shows a different kind of strength: leadership, courage, wisdom, loyalty, prayer, surrender and generosity.
Is Psalm 46:5 about a woman?
Not first of all. In Psalm 46 the word her refers to the city of God: "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved" (Psalm 46:5). Because God now lives among His people by His Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16), many Christians apply the verse to themselves, which is a fair application as long as its first meaning is remembered.
What is a good Bible verse for a strong woman card or gift?
Short verses work best: Proverbs 31:17, Proverbs 31:25, Isaiah 12:2 or "God is in the midst of her" (Psalm 46:5). Add one personal line, such as I see God's strength in you. For a framed verse or a tattoo, choose words she already loves. See also a mother and daughter for family cards.
Biblical strength never means staying in danger. If you are being abused, 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. If you feel overwhelmed or have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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 women · Bible verses about strength · Bible verses about courage · Bible verses for strength in hard times · Bible verses about mothers · Bible verses about a mother and daughter · Bible verses about business
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