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Bible Verses About Rest to Memorize
Rest is woven into the Bible from its first pages — God Himself rested on the seventh day — and it runs all the way to Hebrews’ promise that “there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” In between stands the most personal invitation Jesus ever gave: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Scripture’s rest is more than sleep, though it includes sleep — “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep,” David writes, and Psalm 127:2 gently mocks the anxious hustle of rising early and sitting up late, “for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” Deeper still is rest of soul: the green pastures of Psalm 23, the quietness of Isaiah 30:15, the stillness of Psalm 46:10.
If your schedule cannot find rest, your memory can hold it. These twelve verses, learned by heart, turn red lights, waiting rooms, and sleepless hours into places where rest is spoken back to your soul.
KJV verse list
12 Bible verses about rest
Each verse below is shown in the King James Version. Read it slowly, then use the note beneath it to see why it is worth carrying with you.
Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus’ great invitation: come, take my yoke, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Psalm 23:1-3
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.
Green pastures, still waters, a restored soul — the Shepherd’s picture of rest, worth carrying whole.
Exodus 33:14
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
God’s promise to Moses, and to you: my presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Psalm 62:1-2
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
Truly my soul waiteth upon God — rest defined as a soul settled on its rock and defence.
Psalm 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
The bedtime verse: I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
The verse against hustle: it is vain to rise early and sit up late, “for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”
Hebrews 4:9-11
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
There remaineth a rest to the people of God — and we are urged to labour to enter it.
Mark 6:31
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Jesus’ instruction to busy disciples: come ye yourselves apart, and rest a while.
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Be still, and know that I am God — stillness as a command, knowledge as its fruit.
Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
Ask for the old paths and walk in them, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
Isaiah 30:15
For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength — rest as a strategy, not an indulgence.
Psalm 91:1-2
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Dwelling in the secret place of the most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty — rest as residence.
Memorization help
How to memorize these verses
Rest verses belong at the edges of your day. Make Psalm 4:8 the last words in your mind at night — many believers recite it lying down, exactly as written — and Psalm 23:1-3 or Psalm 46:10 the first when you wake. Memorizing Matthew 11:28-30 in full is worth the extra effort: the invitation, the yoke, and the promised rest form one sentence from Jesus you will quote for the rest of your life. A few quiet minutes of review in The Bible Memory App (free to start) can itself become a daily moment of rest — Scripture slowing you down on purpose.
The Bible Memory App turns that practice into a daily habit: type each verse from memory, get instant feedback on every word, and review on a schedule so the verses stay with you for years, not days. It is free to start, and you can add any of the verses above in seconds.
FAQ
Questions about Bible verses on rest
What does the Bible say about rest?
Rest is God’s design from creation (Genesis 2:2-3), His gift against anxious toil (Psalm 127:2), and ultimately His salvation — Jesus offers rest of soul to all who come to Him (Matthew 11:28), and Hebrews 4 speaks of a remaining rest for the people of God. Scripture treats rest as trust expressed in time: stopping because God can be relied on.
What is a good Bible verse for sleep?
Psalm 4:8 was written for it: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 127:2 adds that God “giveth his beloved sleep,” and Proverbs 3:24 promises that when thou liest down, thy sleep shall be sweet. Many people recite Psalm 4:8 as a memorized bedtime prayer.
What did Jesus mean by “I will give you rest”?
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus offers rest “unto your souls” — relief not merely from physical work but from the heavy burden of labouring for acceptance with God. His yoke is easy because He carries the weight; the rest He gives is the settled peace of belonging to Him. It begins now and is completed in the eternal rest of Hebrews 4:9.
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