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Isaiah 40 · a question people ask

What does it mean to "wait for the LORD" (40:31)?

In the text

The chapter gives the word and what comes with it. In Hebrew wait is qavah (tap wait), which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "wait for", and here it is those who wait: "but those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength" (40:31). The verse doesn't picture them sitting still: "They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint" (40:31). It comes in the answer to what Jacob said: "My way is hidden from the LORD" (40:27). Isaiah has the verb of the people's own waiting before: "We have waited for him, and he will save us!" (Isaiah 25:9), and the chapters on Isaiah 25 and 26 look at it there. The chapter doesn't say how long the waiting lasts, and these notes don't either.

The verses

“It shall be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God! We have waited for him, and he will save us! This is the LORD! We have waited for him. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation!””
Isaiah 25:9 · World English Bible
“Yes, in the way of your judgments, LORD, we have waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.”
Isaiah 26:8 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Isaiah 40

Isaiah 40: Comfort, comfort my people

Isaiah 40 uses the same two Hebrew verbs three times: the LORD "doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary" (40:28), "the youths faint and get weary" (40:30), and those who wait for the LORD "will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint" (40:31). In between: "He gives power to the weak" (40:29).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions