When you need grace you cannot earn, these Bible Verses For Mercy give you words to bring before God. Many are honest prayers from people who cried out to Him in guilt, sickness or trouble, like David, Bartimaeus and the humble tax collector. Others are promises that His mercy is new every morning. Use them as your own prayers whenever you need His compassion.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
We are invited to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and help in time of need.
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psalms 51:1 (KJV)
David’s cry for mercy rests on God’s lovingkindness and the multitude of His tender mercies.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luke 18:13 (KJV)
The tax collector prayed simply for God to be merciful to him a sinner, and went home justified.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Psalms 86:5 (KJV)
A comfort for anyone asking for mercy: the Lord is good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy.
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
Psalms 57:1 (KJV)
David prays for mercy while taking refuge in the shadow of God’s wings until trouble passes.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
Psalms 123:3 (KJV)
This short plea asks the Lord for mercy when we have endured more than enough contempt.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Mark 10:47 (KJV)
Blind Bartimaeus kept crying out for Jesus, the Son of David, to have mercy on him.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
Psalms 6:2 (KJV)
A prayer for mercy in weakness, asking the Lord to heal troubled bones.
Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.
Psalms 25:6-7 (KJV)
David asks God to remember His tender mercies rather than the sins of his youth.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:7 (KJV)
Those who forsake their ways and return to the Lord find He has mercy and abundantly pardons.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)
A morning reminder that the Lord’s compassions never fail and are new every day.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalms 23:6 (KJV)
David is confident that goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life.
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Psalms 145:8-9 (KJV)
The Lord is gracious, full of compassion, and His tender mercies are over all His works.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)
Paul praises the Father of mercies, who comforts us in all our trouble.
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Micah 7:18 (KJV)
God does not keep His anger for ever, because He delights in mercy.
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
Psalms 40:11 (KJV)
David asks the Lord not to withhold His tender mercies but to keep him continually.
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:21 (KJV)
Believers are urged to keep themselves in God’s love while looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 136:1 works well prayed as a direct request for mercy in your specific circumstance, trusting in God’s unchanging character.
Some of the same ground is covered in Bible Verses About Forgiving Others and Bible Verses About Believing God's Promises.
Quotations follow the King James Version of 1611, now in the public domain. To read any verse within its full chapter, try Blue Letter Bible.
Two nearby collections worth opening next are Bible Verses For Dating and Bible Verses For Healing and Strength.
For a related angle, see Bible Verses For Perseverance and Strength or Bible Verses For Encouragement.
You might also turn to Bible Verses For Calling and Bible Verses For Protection and Safety.
This subject overlaps with Bible Verses For Repentance and with Bible Verses About Repentance.
To see how other translations render these lines, look them up on Bible Gateway.
Bible Hub collects commentary on every verse if you want to study one more closely.
Return to this verse whenever you need to be reminded of God’s constant mercy.
Hebrews 4:16’s instruction to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy describes approaching directly and confidently, not hesitantly or apologetically. This directness matters. If you have approached God for mercy tentatively, as though uncertain it would be granted, this instruction suggests a more direct, confident approach — boldly, not timidly, trusting mercy is genuinely available.
Whatever specific situation currently calls for mercy in your life, approaching it boldly rather than hesitantly is consistent with how this verse describes the appropriate posture toward receiving it.
Mercy can be sought not only for your own situation but also on behalf of others — interceding for someone else’s need for mercy, not only your own. If someone in your own life currently needs mercy that only God can provide, praying specifically for mercy on their behalf, not only your own situation, is consistent with this broader biblical pattern.
Rather than praying generally for mercy, name your specific current situation directly — what exactly you are hoping to be spared, what exactly you are bringing honestly before God — and ask for mercy specifically into that actual circumstance. This specificity tends to focus the prayer more effectively than a vague, general request.
Lamentations 3:22-23 describes God’s mercies as new every morning, not a fixed, limited supply gradually running out with repeated use. If you have hesitated to ask for mercy again because you already asked yesterday, this verse suggests that hesitation rests on a misunderstanding — mercy renewed daily, not rationed or depleted by repeated honest requests.
Whatever tomorrow brings that calls for mercy, these same verses remain available then too — not exhausted by today’s use, but freshly available again, offered new each time the need genuinely arises.
Whatever brought you to this page today, come back to it as often as needed, and let these verses become a genuine source of steady comfort rather than a one-time read never revisited again.
Share this list with someone else who could use the same reminder today, and let your own search for mercy become an encouragement for theirs as well.
These verses were never meant to sit on a page as decoration \u2014 they’re meant to shape how you actually respond the next time someone close to you needs mercy from you more than they need to be right.
You don’t need polished or formal language for it \u2014 an honest, plainly worded sentence is enough, something as simple as telling God directly for the willingness to extend mercy instead of insisting on being right.
In Matthew 15:21-28 a Canaanite woman came to Jesus near Tyre and Sidon with a desperate request: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” She was an outsider, and at first Jesus answered her not a word. The disciples wanted her sent away. Still she came, worshipped him, and said simply, “Lord, help me.”
When Jesus tested her, she answered with remarkable humility and faith: “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Jesus replied, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt,” and her daughter was healed from that very hour. Notice what she asked. She said “have mercy on me,” yet the need was her child’s. A parent’s pain and a child’s pain are bound together, and she brought both to Jesus as one request.
Her example gives shape to intercession. When a son, daughter, spouse or friend is struggling, you can pray Bible verses for mercy with their name in them. Try Psalm 57:1 as “Be merciful unto them, O God,” or Psalm 145:9 as a reminder that His tender mercies are over all His works, including the person you are praying for. Like this mother, keep coming even when the answer seems slow. Persistence in prayer is not nagging God; it is trusting that mercy is His delight (Micah 7:18).
A practical way to do this is to keep a short list of the people you are praying for, with one verse written beside each name. Some days you may pray with many words and some days with only the woman’s three: “Lord, help me.” Both are welcome. If the person you love is facing illness, addiction or deep distress, praying for mercy can go alongside practical help from a doctor, counselor or pastor. God often answers through people He places nearby.
Sometimes it helps to have words laid out step by step. This prayer draws on Psalm 51, a psalm David wrote after his sin with Bathsheba, along with other Bible verses for mercy. Pray it slowly, pausing after each part to add your own honest words.
End by asking God for one concrete step, such as an apology, a repayment, or a change of habit. Mercy received often turns into mercy acted upon.
If guilt lingers after you pray, return to the prayer the next morning rather than trying to earn forgiveness by feeling bad enough. Lamentations 3:22-23 promises that His compassions are new every morning. Many believers find it helpful to write the date beside a psalm they prayed, then look back weeks later and see how faithfully God answered.
When your choices have wounded another person, Psalm 51 is honest about sin without despair, and Psalm 51:17 reminds you that “a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Pair it with Matthew 5:23-24, where Jesus tells us to be reconciled to a brother before bringing our gift to the altar. Among Bible verses for mercy, these two keep your eyes on both God and the person you hurt, so that seeking mercy leads to making things right where you can.
Receiving mercy is only half of the picture. Colossians 3:12 calls believers to “put on” bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and longsuffering, like clothing chosen each morning. These Bible verses for mercy become real when they shape an ordinary week. Try one small action a day.
At the end of the week, notice which day was hardest. That is often the place where God wants to grow mercy in you most. Using Bible verses for mercy this way turns them from comfort alone into a daily calling.
Mercy toward others is not the same as ignoring wrong. Jude 1:22 speaks of having compassion while “making a difference,” which suggests wisdom about how to help each person. Sometimes mercy is a meal, sometimes a patient conversation, and sometimes a firm but kind boundary. Ask God for discernment as you practice. Among the Bible verses for mercy on this theme, James 2:13 is a sobering encouragement: mercy rejoiceth against judgment, so every act of mercy points to the heart of God Himself.
Children understand mercy quickly when they experience it. A bedtime conversation after a hard day is one of the best moments to teach it. When a child has disobeyed and been corrected, you can explain that God forgives us when we are sorry, and that we get to show that same kindness to others. Keep it simple, warm and repeated.
Parents often find that teaching Bible verses for mercy to children softens their own hearts too. For a deeper look at what Scripture teaches about this theme, see these Bible verses about mercy and what they reveal about God, and for more prayers centered on His character, the collection of verses for trusting God’s mercy is a good companion for family devotions.
Whatever age your children are, the goal is not a perfect lesson but a home where mercy is spoken about, prayed for and practiced. Over time, the Bible verses for mercy you share at the table or bedside can become words they carry into their own adult lives and families. Even one verse, repeated often and lived out at home, can take deep root in a young heart.
Psalm 51 has a title line that is easy to skim past: it was written when the prophet Nathan came to David after the king had taken Bathsheba. David had hidden what he did for months. A story about a stolen lamb got under his guard, and Nathan said four words that ended the pretending: “Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:7).
What followed was not an excuse. It was this prayer: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1). Notice what David leans on. He does not list his good deeds or point to his crown. He appeals to God’s own character, to lovingkindness and tender mercies, because nothing about himself would hold any weight.
That is a useful pattern if you are asking for mercy over something you cannot undo. Start with who God is, then say plainly what you did, without softening the nouns. The honesty in the psalm is almost startling. Many of the Bible verses for mercy you may be reading today sound gentler than this one, but this is the prayer of a person who has no defence left and is asking anyway.
There is a small picture tucked into Psalm 123 that people rarely linger on. “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us” (Psalm 123:2). In a household of that day, a servant could not rely on a spoken order across a noisy room. He watched the hand for a signal.
Think about what that looks like when you are the one waiting. Maybe you are sitting in a lawyer’s office, or at the end of a hallway outside a surgery room, or staring at a bank letter you have not opened yet. Your eyes keep going back to one place. The psalmist does not say the waiting is pleasant. The very next verse admits, “we are exceedingly filled with contempt,” which is a candid way of saying the people were worn out.
Yet the posture is clear. The servant stays in the room. He does not wander off to find another master. Asking for mercy and then staying put, watching, is its own kind of faith, and it is much quieter than most of us expect it to be.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Ordinary people in the ancient world did not walk up to thrones. A royal court meant guards, protocol, and the real chance of being turned away or worse. The first readers of Hebrews, many of them Jewish believers under pressure, knew that picture well.
They also knew about the high priest, who entered the most holy place once a year, and only with blood and incense. The writer of Hebrews takes that frightening image and turns it over. The one who sits there has been tempted as we are, so he is not a stranger to weakness (Hebrews 4:15). The throne is a place where mercy is on offer, not just a place of judgment.
So the boldness in the verse is not cockiness. It is the steadiness of a person who has been told the way in is open. If you have ever delayed praying because you felt too stained or too busy, let this passage settle that question. You are expected. Bring the actual problem, the specific one, and say it in ordinary words.
Early Greek-speaking Christians gathered a tiny prayer into their worship: Kyrie, eleison, which means “Lord, have mercy.” It echoes the cries recorded in the Gospels, like the blind man’s “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark 10:47). Over the centuries the same four words have been sung in cathedrals and muttered in kitchens, in several languages, by people with very different backgrounds.
There is a reason it lasted. When you are overwhelmed, long prayers fall apart in your mouth. A short one can be carried through a bad afternoon. You can pray it while driving to a hard appointment, or between two phone calls, or lying awake at three in the morning, and nobody has to hear.
If you want to try it, there is no formula. Say it slowly, one breath per phrase, and let it be about a particular person or worry. Some folks pair it with a line from Psalm 6:2, “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak.” The brevity is the point. A prayer for mercy does not need polish. It needs honesty, and four words can hold plenty of that.
Jude’s short letter closes with a strange instruction for anxious people: “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:21). The verb looking is the same one used for people who watch the road for someone they expect. Mercy here is not only a rescue in the past. It is something still on its way.
That reframes a lot of waiting. Many of us ask for mercy and then fret because nothing appears in the first week. Jude suggests a daily rhythm in the meantime: stay close to love, keep the lamp trimmed, and look up. He is writing to people surrounded by false teachers and wearing out, and he does not promise a quick change of circumstances.
A caution belongs here. Asking for mercy is never a substitute for taking sensible steps. If your trouble involves your health, your money, or a conflict that has turned unsafe, pray and also call the doctor, the advisor, or the right authority. Mercy often arrives through ordinary people doing their jobs well. Receive it that way, and thank them too.
More verse collections related to this page: Bible Verses For God's Mercy, Bible Verses About Mercy, Bible Verses About God's Mercy, Bible Verses For Mercy And Justice and Bible Verses About Mercy And Justice.
If you want to dig further, Blue Letter Bible, Bible Gateway and Bible Hub are good places to start.
Psalm 136:1 works well prayed as a direct request for mercy in your specific circumstance, trusting in God's unchanging character.
This page brings together 20 King James Version references about mercy, drawn from 10 different books of the Bible.
Yes, the verses referenced on this page, including Psalm 136:1, are quoted according to the King James Version (KJV), and are suitable for daily reading, memorization, or devotional use.
Beyond the references highlighted on this page, mercy appears throughout Scripture in books such as Psalm, Hebrews, Lamentations, Matthew, Micah; this collection focuses on some of the clearest examples.
These mercy verses are drawn from books including Psalm, Hebrews, Lamentations, Matthew, Micah, among others.
