Healing in the Psalms
The Psalms in the Bible are truly wonderful. They are short songs or prayers written by David, Asaph, and a few other psalmists. The Psalms give thanks to God, ask for His blessings and protection, and teach us valuable truths about who God is. Some of them also speak about God's healing power. In this chapter, we will look at several verses from Psalms that can strengthen your faith for healing.
Reason 24: God Forgives and Heals
Psalm 103 is a beautiful and powerful psalm written by David. It speaks about health, healing, and the goodness and mercy of God. In this chapter, we will look at a few verses, but I encourage you to read the entire psalm. David begins by calling us to praise the Lord:
Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits. (Psalm 103:1-2)
As you stand in faith for healing, it is important to look back on your life and remember all of God's blessings, miracles, and acts of kindness. God is pleased when we are thankful and give Him praise for what He has already done. Gratitude also strengthens our faith. When we remember how God has helped us before, it becomes easier to trust Him for healing now.
It is helpful to write down God's blessings and miracles in a notebook. Then, whenever you read through it, you can rejoice and give thanks again. This helps you to not forget any of His benefits. David continues by saying:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases. (Psalm 103:3)
This is a powerful truth. If you ask a born-again Christian, “Has God forgiven your sins?” the answer will be, “Yes.” We believe that God has forgiven us—that is what is preached in churches everywhere. When we come to faith, we receive forgiveness. But David does not stop there. In the same sentence, right after “Who forgives all your iniquities,” he writes, “Who heals all your diseases.” It would be strange if we said with confidence, “Yes, God has forgiven all my sins—hallelujah!” and then read, “Who heals all your diseases,” and respond, “Well, maybe. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. You never know. God’s ways are higher than ours.” That would be inconsistent. David declares both truths together: God forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases. For God, healing is not more difficult than forgiving. Jesus showed this clearly:
Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” (…) “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. (Matthew 9:2-7)
God and Jesus both forgive and heal. The Bible says that God heals all your diseases. It does not say that He heals only some diseases or heals occasionally. God desires to heal all our diseases. David experienced the mercy of God. He knew that God forgave all his iniquities and healed all his diseases. We can also believe and trust that God forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases.
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:4-5)
God redeems our lives from destruction and crowns us with His lovingkindness and tender mercies. It is His mercy that moves Him to heal our diseases. God is our loving Father, and He wants to heal us. He is good, merciful, and full of compassion toward us.
Reason 25: In the Shelter of God
I want to share another beautiful psalm with you. In Psalm 91, we read about God's protection. It is a powerful psalm to read and meditate on.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2, ESV)
When you meditate on a Bible verse, it is important to visualize what the verse says. You form a picture in your heart of what is written. Jesus also taught this way—He used parables so that people could picture and understand the lessons.
In the same way, see yourself dwelling in God's shelter. Imagine abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. This means God is protecting you and surrounding you completely with His care. He watches over you, even as you sleep.
Another important part of meditating on Scripture is to personalize it. The psalmist did this when he said, “My refuge and my fortress.” When it comes to healing, it is important to say, “God is my healer, and the promises of healing are for me.” These truths are not only for others—they are for you.
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:3-4)
God promises to deliver you from the snare of the fowler and deadly diseases. Whether you are trapped by sickness, betrayed by others, or caught in any kind of danger, God will save you. Even in the face of a deadly pestilence or another disease, this psalm declares that God will protect and deliver you.
Psalm 91 is a powerful passage for healing. But it is important to remember the first two verses. The promises of protection and healing are for those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and trust in Him as their refuge.
Verse 4 tells us that we take refuge under God's wings. This is a beautiful picture—God covering and embracing you with His presence. It shows that He is near. And under His wings, there is healing.
But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. (Malachi 4:2)
So, how can we trust God? God says that His truth shall be your shield and buckler. In the first four verses of Psalm 91, we see God's abundant protection over our lives. Let us continue reading this Psalm.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. (Psalm 91:5-6)
When you receive a revelation of God's protection, fear begins to disappear. You no longer fear sickness because you know that God is supernaturally caring for you. His presence surrounds your entire life. You do not need to be afraid of the night, of arrows that fly by day, of pestilence in the darkness, or of destruction at noonday.
Ephesians 6 gives us a deeper understanding of how to defend ourselves against these attacks—by putting on the armor of God:
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18)
It is important to understand that God's armor protects us from all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6 explains how we are to walk in this armor, though we will not explore that in detail in this book.
A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. (Psalm 91:7-8)
Even if you see everyone around you dying from a certain sickness, this verse says that disaster will not come near you. Maybe there is a genetic disease in your family that has affected many people. Stand in faith with the help of this psalm. Even if you see sickness and suffering all around you, it shall not come near you—because you are protected in the shelter of the Most High.
Even if everyone at your workplace has the flu or a cold, it will not come near you because you dwell under God’s wings of healing and health.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; (Psalm 91:9-10)
The word plague here can also mean sickness. The Hebrew word for “plague” in this verse is “neḡaʿ”, which means “plague, sickness, stricken, stroke, or sore”. We see the same word used in Isaiah 53:
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. (Isaiah 53:8)
The sickness or plague was laid on Jesus. Because He carried it, we no longer have to accept sickness in our lives or homes. Thank You, Jesus! No sickness shall come near our dwelling!
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:11-12)
Not only does God protect you, but He also commands His angels to guard you in all your ways. Most of us have stubbed our toe at some point—maybe not on a stone, but on a table leg or something else at home. Usually, the pain lasts just a few moments. Yet this verse shows us that God even cares about those small moments. He doesn’t want you to suffer—not even for a few minutes due to carelessness. God wants to protect your life. But does this verse only speak of spiritual protection?
Yes, God certainly protects us spiritually. But I also believe this verse speaks literally. God desires to protect our bodies as well. Even the devil understood this. When he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he took Him to the highest point of the temple in Jerusalem and challenged Him to throw Himself down. The devil then quoted this exact verse from Psalm 91:
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” (Matthew 4:6)
You see? The devil tempted Jesus to do something that would normally cause a person great pain or even death. The devil took the text of Psalm 91 literally. And notice—Jesus did not correct him by saying, “That’s only spiritual. God doesn’t really protect the body.” No, Jesus replied:
“It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” (Matthew 4:7)
Jesus took the promise of Psalm 91:11–12 literally, but He also made it clear that we are not to test God. The same applies to us. We may believe and trust these promises literally, but that does not give us a reason to live recklessly or to put ourselves in danger on purpose.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.” (Psalm 91:13-15)
What a promise! God chooses to help us when we face trouble or need. He hears our prayers and answers us. We have a loving Father who cares for us and desires our well-being.
“With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91:16)
God also promises to satisfy us with a long life. That means He wants us to live out all our days—strong, healthy, and under His loving care.
Reason 26: God Responds to Your Call
I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. (Psalm 30:1-3)
This is a beautiful psalm in which King David gives thanks to God for delivering him from death. We do not know exactly what the sickness or danger was, but David’s words reveal something powerful. In his time of great need, he cried out to God—and God healed him.
David was not praising God for healing him from a mild sickness. He was in danger. He said, “You have kept me alive,” which shows that the situation was life-threatening. But God worked a miracle and restored him.
Just as God performed a healing miracle for David, He also desires to heal you. When we cry out to God in faith, He hears us—and He responds with healing.
Reason 27: God Blesses the Helper
The next psalm we will study shows a spiritual law: what you give is connected to what you receive. This principle also applies to healing. When you help others in their time of need, it opens the door for God to help and heal you in your time of need.
This does not mean we earn our healing, or that someone who is sick never cares for others. But it is important to keep a giving attitude, regardless of your situation. The gospel of God is a gospel of giving. God gave His Son so that we could be saved, healed, made whole, and set free. And just as God is a giver, we are also called to give.
Let’s first read a few verses from Psalm 41 and then return briefly to the principle of giving:
Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. (Psalm 41:1-3)
This psalm contains powerful promises—but to whom are these promises given? They are for the one who considers the poor. When we act with compassion toward those in need, we open the door to God’s blessing in our own lives. God desires to bless us, but He blesses those who walk with a pure heart.
According to King David, when someone cares for the poor, the Lord will help and deliver that person in their time of trouble. Just as they treat others with kindness, God will treat them with kindness. He will preserve them and keep them alive. This also applies to healing. The psalm says God will strengthen the sick person on their bed of illness and sustain them on their sickbed. This means that the person will not remain sick—they will be restored and live. What a powerful promise!
It also says, “He will be blessed on the earth.” Some people say, “It doesn’t matter to God whether you are blessed and joyful on earth. In heaven, you will be blessed, but here on earth, life is broken.” But that thinking goes against the Word of God. God wants you to be blessed here on earth. He wants you to live in His joy, and that is much easier when your body is healthy and free from pain. God desires to lift you, heal your body, and cause you to live in health and blessing—so that you may honor Him for His goodness.
This principle of giving and receiving is a vital part of the Christian life. We also see it in the book of Galatians:
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:8-10)
This does not mean we earn healing through good works. But it does show that there is a spiritual principle: how we treat others matters. If you live in sin and sow to the flesh, you will reap corruption and trouble. But if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life and blessing.
Reason 28: Fresh and Flourishing
God desires to give you a good and healthy life. Some people believe that the first forty years are the best—full of strength and health—but that after forty, the body starts to weaken and physical problems begin to appear. However, that is not God's will for your life. God wants to keep you strong and healthy, even as you grow older. He desires that you remain fresh and flourishing in old age.
The following verse speaks about the righteous and how they continue to live in health and fruitfulness, even in their later years:
They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (Psalm 92:14-15)
Let’s also look at how this verse is translated into other Bible versions:
They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green. (Psalm 92:14, ESV)
[Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age; They will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment]; (Psalm 92:14, AMP)
What a promise from God! Even in old age, you will still be vital and fresh. In other words, your body can remain strong, full of life, and healthy. It is possible to grow old without physical decline or disability. This is part of God’s desire for His people—to live in strength and bear fruit all their days.
Reason 29: God Sends out His Word
The next psalm we will study is Psalm 107. This psalm shows how God delivers, heals, and redeems those who cry out to Him. It reveals that God hears the cries of people in their time of need.
Throughout the psalm, we see examples of people who were in dangerous situations, but God saved them and brought them to a place of safety. Some were wandering in the wilderness, hungry and lost—but God led them to a city where they could dwell. Others sat in darkness and the shadow of death—but God brought them out and gave them light. Still others were caught in storms at sea—but God calmed the storm and brought them safely to their haven.
This psalm shows the saving hand of God. And just as God delivered people in these situations, we also see that He healed them.
Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. (Psalm 107:17-18)
Psalm 107 was written as a song of thanksgiving after the exile. It makes clear that the people had sinned against God, but after they repented, He saved them. In verse 17, the people were described as fools who were afflicted because of their sins. In other words, their sickness was the result of their choices.
Maybe you, too, have made mistakes in the past, and you wonder, “Can God still heal me after all I’ve done?” Or maybe your pain or sickness came from an accident, carelessness, or an unintentional choice—like falling, eating something harmful, or making a wrong decision. If that’s you, let the next verses build your faith:
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:19-20)
If you have received Jesus as your Savior and Redeemer, then not one sin from your past has the right to haunt you. Jesus has completely forgiven you. Even if you have sinned as a believer, when you repent, your sin is removed—and it no longer has a hold on your life.
When you cry out to God in your trouble, He hears you. According to Psalm 107, He saves, heals, and delivers.
He sent His word and healed them. This verse also points us to Jesus. God not only speaks a healing word—He also sent His Word into the world. Jesus is the Word made flesh. God sent Jesus to carry our sicknesses and to bring us healing.
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; (…) The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
God sent His Word—and healed us. There is no excuse and no barrier. God desires to heal you. He does not want you to remain sick. Jesus bore your sickness, and by His stripes, you are healed.
Reason 30: I Shall Live
Let us read another powerful verse from the Psalms:
I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord. (Psalm 118:17)
This is a wonderful promise. Instead of dying from sickness, you will live and proclaim the mighty works that God has done in your life. It is not God's will for you to die young because of disease. God desires that you live and grow old in good health.
When God heals you, it is very important to testify of what He has done. Your testimony gives hope and strengthens the faith of others. What God has done for you, He also wants to do for others. At the same time, it is important to honor and thank God for His healing. We see this in the story of the ten lepers. Jesus healed them all, but only one came back to give thanks:
Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:12-19)
It is important to testify about God's works and to thank Him for what He has done in your life. Even if you are still sick, take time to reflect on all the good things God has already done for you—all the blessings and miracles you have received.
Gratitude builds your faith. When you remember God’s goodness and thank Him, you activate your faith—and faith is the key to receiving God’s promises.
Summary
In this chapter, we studied several verses from the Psalms that speak of the healing power of God. The Psalms are beautiful songs and prayers that reveal the goodness and mercy of God.
Psalm 103 speaks about health and healing. In this psalm, David calls us to bless and thank the Lord for all His benefits. He reminds us that God not only forgives all our iniquities but also heals all our diseases. David highlights the importance of being thankful and remembering God’s blessings and miracles. Writing them down helps us to see how God has already worked in our lives, and this strengthens our faith to believe for healing. David also shows that God redeems our lives from destruction and crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies.
Psalm 91 speaks of God’s protection. The psalmist encourages us to dwell in the shelter of the Most High and to trust in God. He promises that God will deliver us from danger and sickness. He uses the image of being under God’s wings to show how near God is and how He brings healing and health. We are told not to fear sickness or destruction because God watches over us. Even when others fall around us, we are promised protection.
In Psalm 30, we read how David cried out to God, and God healed him. David was close to death, but the Lord preserved his life.
Psalm 41 tells us that God cares for those who care for others. When they are sick, the Lord will strengthen and sustain them on their sickbed and restore them to health.
Psalm 92 shows that God wants us to grow old in good health. The righteous will still bear fruit in old age—they will be fresh and flourishing.
Psalm 107 speaks of God's deliverance and healing. Even when sickness comes because of sin, God hears us when we cry out to Him. He forgives, heals, and delivers us from destruction. The psalmist testifies that God sent His Word and healed them.
Finally, Psalm 118 declares: “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” It is God's will that we live, not die young from sickness. He wants us to live healthy and full lives so that we can testify to His goodness.