To understand what the Bible says about anxiety—and to understand anxiety itself—it’s helpful to look at the words that are translated as anxiety through Scripture. In the Old Testament, what’s used for anxiety comes from the Hebrew verb דָּאַג, daag, or the noun דְּאָגָה , deagah, meaning care, fear, heaviness, or sorrow. The connotation is that the fear, dread, sorrow, and worry is a weight pulling the person down. In the New Testament, anxiety comes from the Greek word μεριμνάω, pronounced merimnao, a verb that means to take apart or divide, carrying the negative connotation of having a divided or distracted mind.
Anyone with anxiety can attest that both of these aspects are true; anxiety causes the brain to go in several different directions, and it feels like the heart and body are torn apart. Under such duress, the stress of this pulling can make someone feel immobilized and heavy—which is one reason why anxiety and depression often go hand in hand.
I’ll admit that I do not pretend to understand anxiety. I believe, perhaps, I have felt remnants of it at particularly stressful moments of my life. But I have been diagnosed with depression, and there is one caveat that my doctor has explained to me which I think is helpful to apply here when thinking about the biblical statements about anxiety: everyone, to an extent, has anxiousness, but what makes anxiety a mental illness is when it becomes debilitating to daily life.
“Anxiety causes the brain to go in several different directions, and it feels like the heart and body are torn apart.”
Some of the instances of anxiety in Scripture are merely descriptive of people’s fear or dread. This is especially true with the Hebrew usage in the Old Testament. Most of the instances of daag or deagah are used to describe how people feel in various circumstances, including worry (1 Samuel 9:5 and 10:2, Jeremiah 17:8), trouble (Psalm 38:18, Jeremiah 49:23), dread (Isaiah 57:11, Jeremiah 42:16), and fear (Jeremiah 38:19, Joshua 22:24). Many versions of Ezekiel 4:16 and 12:18-19 do translate deagah to anxiety when God says he is about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem and “the people will eat rationed food in anxiety.”
Proverbs 12:25
“Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25, NIV)
Perhaps the most helpful verse in the Old Testament about anxiety comes from Proverbs 12:25: “Anxiety (deagah) weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” Here, we see not only a description of how the anxiety looks and feels, but, as is common throughout the book of Proverbs, we are provided with a balancing opposite, which includes a way to combat the anxiety.
Sometimes, these kind words can come from ourselves; many people practice personal affirmations to calm their anxiety and give them something to focus on. More than likely, David is talking here about words from another person, like a compliment, a mention of gratitude, an expression of affection, or some imparted wisdom to help shift things into perspective. Though you may not be able to spontaneously wish for someone to just offer one of these things, it’s not too unusual to contact a loved one or trusted friend, tell them of your anxiety, and then ask for a word of encouragement. Of course, there is One who is always available for such a request; God is only a prayer away.
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
Philippians 4:4-9
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:4-9, NIV)
The New Testament has much more to say about anxiety. In fact, I would venture to say that when most people think about what the Bible says about anxiety, the first verse that comes to mind is Philippians 4:6, when Paul instructs “be anxious for nothing.” Paul writes this to the Philippians at the end of his letter, after having discussed some of their issues and encouraged them to stand firm in their faith.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Of course, such instruction is hard to follow; especially when dealing with mental illness, it is hard to just think something like “don’t be anxious about anything.” It’s nearly impossible to just stop. Thankfully, Paul gives some suggestions on how to help. He suggests that they battle their anxiety with prayer (vs. 6), meditation on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, etc. (vs. 8), and action (vs. 9) and that, in doing so, the peace of God will fill them like never before (vs. 7 and 9).
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”
Another common New Testament passage that relates to anxiety comes from Jesus in the book of Matthew 6, starting in verse 25 (and again in Luke 12:22). He teaches us not to worry, especially about material things like food and clothing, using again this word, merimnao. Here we find two verses that get used a lot as mantras against anxiety:
- “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (vs. 27)
- “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (vs. 34).
These are similar to what Paul says: Don’t be anxious! And just like Paul, in this passage, Jesus does give some further instruction of actions to take to ease the struggle of anxiety. First of all, He recommends looking around, specifically mentioning observing the birds and how they find food (vs. 26) and looking at how the flowers grow (vs. 28-30). This type of grounding exercise can help distract the brain and rewire its pathways to focus on something else rather than the worry at hand, but it also helps to put things into perspective. I personally find a lot of solace in watching animals in general but especially birds. (I’ve written on this before.)
Secondly, Jesus says to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (vs. 33). Sometimes, looking outside of ourselves and finding ways to help further God’s kingdom here on earth is the best way to battle anxiety. Again, it helps to put things into perspective, it distracts us from our worries, and the physicality of serving in some capacity gives us purpose and direction.
1 Peter 5:7
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV)
In the final chapter of 1 Peter, Peter gives several small nuggets of motivation, including in verse 7, when he says, “Cast all your merimnao on Him because He cares for you.” This goes along well with what Paul and Jesus say in other parts of the New Testament, to diffuse anxiety through prayer and meditating on what is good and true.
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Additional New Testament Verses
Other verses that use merimnao include Matthew 10:19, when Jesus tells His followers not to worry about what to say when they will be arrested for sharing their faith. In this case, He says the Spirit will provide guidance (vs. 20).
Jesus uses merimnao later in Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, and Luke 8:14 during the explanation of the parable of the seeds, when He says that the seed falling among thorns is like when someone hears the word “but the merimnao of this life…choke the word, making it unfruitful.” How true this can feel! I know so many people who have heard the teachings of Scripture but have trouble truly believing it because of the anxieties of this life.
Jesus also uses merimnao when he speaks to Martha in Luke 10. Verse 40 says she is “distracted by all the preparations that had to be made,” and Jesus says, “Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” This refers to Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus to listen to His teachings. He is instructing Martha to stop flitting around and to sit, listen, and be still in mind, body, and spirit.
Luke 21:34-36 also discusses merimnao, when Jesus warns about the Day of Judgment, saying that anxiety is one of several things that can weigh down our hearts. Again, Jesus encourages us to pray to prepare ourselves and our hearts for that day.
“I know so many people who have heard the teachings of Scripture but have trouble truly believing it because of the anxieties of this life.”
In 1 Corinthians 7, specifically verses 32-34, Paul says he wants the Christians at Corinth to be “free from concern,” referencing the question about whether or not people should marry. Verse 33 describes the merimnao idea of mental division: “a married man is concerned about the things of this world—how he can please his wife—and his interests are divided.” For this reason, Paul famously says that an unmarried Christian should remain single because then they can also be single-minded and focused on God.
Another time in 1 Corinthians when Paul uses merimnao is in chapter 12, when using the metaphor of the body to describe the divisions of labor and gifts among the gathering of believers. Verse 25 says “there should be no merimnao in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” Though this doesn’t necessarily speak about mental anxiety, the sentiment is still true; anxiety within a group will cause weakness and division.
Another usage of merimnao in Philippians is an interesting one, when Paul says in 2:20 that there is no one else like Timothy, “who will show merimnao for your welfare.” Paul’s point is that Timothy is so caring and thoughtful toward the needs of others that it tears him apart when others are suffering. By contrast, in verse 21, Paul says that others look out for themselves and do not care about the matters of Christ.
“Paul’s point is that Timothy is so caring and thoughtful toward the needs of others that it tears him apart when others are suffering.”
Timothy is therefore an example of a strong worker for the Lord, and Paul is excited to get him to help with the Christians in Philippi. Paul says something similar about himself in 2 Corinthians 11:28-29, when he boasts, “I face daily the pressure of my merimnao for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?”
Conclusion
So, if we bring together all of these passages, we see that anxiety is an intense form of fear that can cause a feeling of being torn apart or weighed down. It can be caused by many things, including internal and external pressures, and sometimes the cause is genuine concern for others. Ways to respond to it are kind words, prayer, meditation on what is true and good, service, observations of nature, seeking righteousness and the kingdom of God, and sitting at the feet of Jesus. When we do these things, the Spirit can help ease anxiety about speaking, and God can provide peace beyond understanding to help still our minds and make us feel lighter again.
