The song received universal critical acclaim and was considered a highlight from its parent album, with the ballad's minimalistic nature, sincere lyrics, and the Weeknd's vocals receiving particular praise. Journalists also commended the maturity in the song's lyrics, while noting its sound as being reminiscent of ballads performed by
Phil Collins in the past.
Vibe writer Jack Riedy complimented the imagery, "The listener can practically see the disco ball spinning over a gaggle of youths at their prom's last dance as Tesfaye urges them don't be scared to live again". Seth Wilson of
Slant wrote that the song "displays the grandeur of a
pop ballad, with a swooning earworm of a chorus and lyrics that tenderly reflect on a past love, and with a maturity that comes only with hindsight. The song nearly edges into schmaltz, but it's full of surprises, including a nod to Elton John's 'Your Song' that's so well integrated into the chorus it's easy to miss." Micah Peters from
The Ringer called the composition "a soaring ballad in which The Weeknd expresses joy and pain where once there was crushing melancholy".
NME reviewer Will Richard named the piece a "shimmering, emotive ballad". Craig Jenkins of
Vulture praised the song's "glistening synths over trap drums with delightful deviations. The writing's tight and there's a cohesion of sound and vision". In an
AllMusic review, Andy Kellman states that "Scared to Live" is "so clean and down the middle that it resembles a box-office crossover bid from an artiste swallowing his pride to record a tame song. It is one of Tesfaye's best performances, his voice soaring and swooping, signifying numbness and codependency, sorrowful about wasted time while encouraging emotional convalescence". == Commercial performance ==