God made the winter: "thou hast made summer and winter" (Psalm 74:17). "He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes" (Psalm 147:16), and His forgiveness makes us clean: "wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).
Winter in the Northern Hemisphere begins with the solstice on Monday, December 21, 2026, the shortest day of the year. For some it means snow days, sledding, fires and Christmas lights. For others it means cold, dark mornings, isolation and the winter blues. The Bible has more to say about winter than many people expect: snow and frost as works of God's power, snow as a picture of forgiveness, and winter as a real season in the lives of Jesus and Paul. People look up winter Bible verses for a church bulletin, a Christmas or winter card, a classroom or homeschool lesson, or a devotional on a long grey day. These twelve King James verses cover all three. For the other seasons, see fall and spring.
Snow, frost and the God who sends them
1. Job 37:6
"For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength."
Elihu describes God speaking to the snow as a king gives orders: Be thou on the earth. The next verse adds, "He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work" (Job 37:7). A snow day that shuts the roads and closes the office can be a reminder that we are not in charge of everything, and an invitation to stop and notice God's power.
2. Job 37:10
"By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened."
By the breath of God frost is given. The Bible pictures frost and ice not as random weather but as God's handiwork. The next time you scrape a frozen windshield or see frost patterns on a window, it can become a small moment of worship. For God's creation, see nature.
3. Job 38:22-23
"Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"
God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind and asks if he has entered the treasures of the snow. People have long marvelled that snow crystals form in endless variety. God also says He reserves hail for the day of battle, and in Joshua 10:11 hailstones fell on Israel's enemies. Creation is not only beautiful; it is under God's command.
4. Psalms 147:16
"He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes."
Snow like wool is a lovely picture: white, soft and covering. A blanket of snow actually insulates the ground and protects plants and seeds beneath it through the coldest weeks. What looks like a season of death can be a season of protection. Psalm 147 also praises God who "healeth the broken in heart" (Psalm 147:3).
Whiter than snow
5. Psalms 51:7
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
David prayed this after his great sin. Hyssop was a plant used in cleansing rituals. Snow is the brightest white he knew, and he asks God to make him cleaner than that. Isaiah offers the same promise: "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). A fresh snowfall can be a picture of fresh forgiveness. See forgiveness.
6. Mark 9:3
"And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them."
At the transfiguration, Jesus' clothes shone exceeding white as snow, whiter than any fuller, a launderer, could make them. For a moment Peter, James and John saw His glory. Snow in Scripture often signals holiness and heavenly glory, not only cold weather.
7. Daniel 7:9
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."
Daniel sees God as the Ancient of days, with clothing white as snow and hair like pure wool. The white speaks of purity, wisdom and eternity. God existed before every winter and will outlast them all.
8. Revelation 1:14
"His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;"
John's vision of the risen Jesus uses the same picture as Daniel 7:9: hair white like wool, as white as snow. Many readers see John deliberately describing Jesus in the language used for the Ancient of days, a sign of His divine glory. See Jesus is God.
Faith for a winter season
9. John 10:22
"And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter."
The feast of the dedication is Hanukkah, which remembers the rededication of the temple in 164 BC. John notes it was winter, and the next verse says Jesus walked in Solomon's porch, a covered colonnade (John 10:23). In 2026 Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4. It is the only place the New Testament mentions the festival.
10. 2 Timothy 4:21
"Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren."
Paul, in a cold Roman prison near the end of his life, asked Timothy to come before winter, when sea travel would stop. A few verses earlier he asked for the cloak he had left at Troas (2 Timothy 4:13). Even an apostle needed a warm coat and a friend. Is there someone you should visit before the cold sets in? See loneliness.
11. Proverbs 31:21
"She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet."
The woman of Proverbs 31 is not afraid of snow because she has prepared ahead: her whole household is clothed in warm, good-quality garments. Faith and planning go together. Winter is a good time to donate coats and blankets, check on elderly neighbours, and make sure no family near you goes cold.
12. Psalms 147:18
"He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow."
The same God who sends the snow also melteth them. Every winter ends. If you are in a long, dark season of grief, depression or waiting, this verse is a promise that God's word will bring a thaw. The Song of Songs says it too: "For, lo, the winter is past" (Song of Solomon 2:11). See hope.
A short prayer
Lord of every season, thank You for the beauty of snow and frost and the quiet of winter. When the days are short and dark, be my light. Wash me and make me whiter than snow. Help me to prepare, to care for those who are cold or alone, and to rest when the world slows down. And when my own heart feels like winter, remind me that You send out Your word and melt the ice. 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.
Color our free Christian Christmas coloring pages on a snow day · Start the new year with our free January Scripture writing plan · Print our free Bible verse bookmarks
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about winter?
Winter is part of God's faithful order: "summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22). God made it (Psalm 74:17), sends the snow and frost (Job 37:6-10), and ends it in His time (Psalm 147:18). Jesus walked in the temple in winter (John 10:22), and Paul planned his travels around it. Winter can also picture a hard season of life that God brings us through.
Is snow mentioned in the Bible?
Yes, many times. Snow describes forgiveness (Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18), God's glory (Daniel 7:9; Mark 9:3) and His power over creation (Job 37:6). One of David's mighty men, Benaiah, "slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow" (2 Samuel 23:20), a favourite verse for anyone facing a hard challenge in a hard season.
What Bible verse helps with winter blues or seasonal depression?
Psalm 147:18 above, Psalm 30:5 and Song of Solomon 2:11 remind us that dark seasons end. Get outside in daylight when you can, stay connected to people, and talk with your doctor if low mood lasts, because seasonal depression is common and treatable. See depression and joy comes in the morning.
What is a good Bible verse for a winter or Christmas card?
Try Psalm 147:16, Isaiah 1:18 or Psalm 51:7. For Christmas, many people pair a snowy scene with Simeon's words about Jesus: "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:32). For more card ideas, see Christmas card verses.
Winter can be hard on mental health. If low mood, sleep changes or hopelessness last more than a couple of weeks, talk with your doctor. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, in the US call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 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: Fall · Spring · Summer · Christmas · Nature · Depression · Forgiveness · Hope
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