Psalms for Headstones: Short Verses That Fit the Stone
The Psalms are the most-quoted book of the Bible on headstones, and for a practical reason: they are poetry, so the lines are already short. This page collects twenty Psalm verses sized for a monument, grouped by theme. If you are looking for full Psalms to read at the service rather than lines to engrave, see Old Testament readings for funerals, which has Psalms 23, 46, 90, 121 and 139 in full.
All verses are quoted from the King James Version. The reference is shown in parentheses; on the stone it is optional and usually cut in smaller letters beneath the line.
Psalms of rest
- "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1)
- "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (Psalm 23:2)
- "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever" (Psalm 23:6)
- "He giveth his beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2)
- "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him" (Psalm 37:7)
- "Into thine hand I commit my spirit" (Psalm 31:5)
Psalms of trust
- "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)
- "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills" (Psalm 121:1)
- "My help cometh from the Lord" (Psalm 121:2)
- "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in" (Psalm 121:8)
- "As for God, his way is perfect" (Psalm 18:30)
- "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105)
Psalms for grief
- "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart" (Psalm 34:18)
- "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5)
- "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15)
- "So teach us to number our days" (Psalm 90:12)
Psalms of praise
- "Bless the Lord, O my soul" (Psalm 103:1)
- "This is the day which the Lord hath made" (Psalm 118:24)
- "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised" (Psalm 48:1)
- "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord" (Psalm 118:17)
Which line for which stone
- Flat grass-level marker: one line, 20 to 25 characters. "Rest in the Lord" (16) and "The Lord is my shepherd" (23) fit; "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever" (46) does not.
- Slant or bevel marker: one or two lines of about 25 to 30 characters.
- Upright monument: two or three lines; the full verse of Psalm 23:1 or Psalm 30:5 fits comfortably.
- Companion stone: a shared line across the bottom, often Psalm 23:6 or Psalm 121:8.
Character counts above include spaces and are a guide only; the monument company will lay the verse out on a proof before cutting so you can see exactly how it sits. For verses drawn from the rest of the Bible, see Bible verses for headstones; for the wider question of what to write at all, our guide to headstone inscriptions covers names, dates, epitaphs and symbols.
Frequently asked questions
Which Psalm is most common on headstones?
Psalm 23, by a wide margin, usually as its first line, "The Lord is my shepherd."
Can we use a modern translation?
Yes. The King James wording is used here because it is public domain and the phrasing is what most people recognize, but any translation can be cut. Give the monument company the exact text you want, letter for letter.
Should the reference go on the stone?
Either is fine. Leaving it off saves a line; including it helps future generations find the passage. Many families put the reference in smaller letters under the verse.
Gaulden Monuments has engraved Psalms on granite for Carolina families since 1961. See how verses sit on upright monuments and other shapes, or contact us and we will send a proof with your line laid out before anything is cut.
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