40 Psalms About Life & Death (Eulogy, Headstones, Obituary)


The Bible is a great source of comfort and understanding when you have recently experience a loss. A verse from the Book Of Psalms can be a fantastic edition to a eulogy or within an obituary. It is also fitting for a headstone, especially the shorter ones.

Below you will find an extensive list of Psalm verses for all your needs when you have recently had a death in your family or social group. If you would like access to a Free PDF with over 200 other Bible verses, please feel free to download it here.

Psalm Verses For Headstones

Here is a list of psalms that would be best for a headstone. This is mainly because they are shorter than some other verses and you will be charged by the letter to engrave a headstone.

These Psalms are between 48 and 80 characters long. To find out how much that may cost, please refer to my full article on headstone engraving here.

Psalm Verse 1

My God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:28

Psalm Verse 2

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

Psalm 145:8

Psalm Verse 3

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

Psalm Verse 4

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him

Psalm 62:1

Psalm Verse 5

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Psalm 116:15

Psalm Verse 6

You are my protection, my place of safety in times of trouble.

Psalm 91:2

Psalm Verse 7

My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.

Psalm 62:5

Psalm Verse 8

Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning

Psalm 30:5

Psalm Verse 9

The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.

Psalm 115:17

Psalm Verse 10

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit

Psalm 34:18

Psalm Verse 11

That this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

Psalm 48:14

Psalm Verse 12

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13-14

Psalm Verse 13

But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.

Psalm 49:15

Psalm Verse 14

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 9:9

Psalm Verse 15

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Psalm 34:18

Psalm Verse 16

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 48:14

If you would like to end an obituary with a Bible verse, then these Psalms are just short enough to end a life’s tribute with a profound thought. You can find even more bible verses for obituaries in my free PDF download here.

Psalm Verse 17

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

Psalm 149:6

Psalm Verse 18

When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

Psalm 146:4

Psalm Verse 19

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Psalm 146:4

Psalm Verse 20

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalm 73:26

Psalm Verse 21

O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!

Psalm 39:4

Psalm Verse 22

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

Psalm 39:4

Psalm Verse 23

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22

Psalm Verse 24

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29

Psalm Verse 25

When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29

Psalm Verse 26

Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

Psalm 16:8-11

Psalm Verse 27

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I

Psalm 61:2

Psalm Verse 28

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Psalm 30:5

Psalm Verse 29

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

If you are the one giving the eulogy or you have been asked to say a few words, the following psalms would be a wonderful edition to a speech. I have chosen them because they are slightly longer verses and will give the congregation food for thought as they remember the recently departed.

Psalm Verse 30

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

Psalm Verse 31

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

Psalm Verse 32

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2

Psalm Verse 33

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalms 34:4-8

Psalm Verse 34

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Psalm 139:7-12

Psalm Verse 35

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Psalms 139:7-12

Psalm Verse 36

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalm 73:26

Psalm Verse 37

So they cried out to the Lord in their distress, and God saved them from their desperate circumstances.God brought them out from the darkness and deep gloom; he shattered their chains.

Psalms 107

Psalm Verse 38

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

Psalm 16:8

Psalm Verse 39

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …

Psalm 23:1-6

Psalm Verse 40

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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.

Psalm 23:1-6

Thank you for reading my selection of Psalms for life and death. If you would like to read more quotes that could be used to make a fitting tribute to a departed loved one, please read my posts about the final last words of famous people throughout history, and other short quotes about life and death here.

Don’t forget, you can still download a free PDF with over 500 Bible verses which will bring you comfort and reflection during this regrettable period in your life.

Also, please feel free to read through my other curated lists of quotes in the following articles:

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