KJV · Featured Verse
Isaiah 40:31
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 — KJV
What This Verse Means
The Hebrew word for 'wait' here is 'qavah' — it means to bind together, to twist like a rope, to hope intensely. It's not passive waiting — it's active, expectant trust. The eagle image is deliberate: eagles don't flap hard to soar — they catch thermal updrafts and let the wind carry them. Waiting on God isn't doing nothing. It's positioning yourself to be carried by His strength instead of your own.
Historical Context
Isaiah 40 was written to Israelites who were exhausted and discouraged — possibly facing or experiencing Babylonian captivity. The chapter opens with 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people' and builds to this climactic promise of renewed strength for the weary.
Cross References
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Psalm 27:14 — KJV
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 — KJV
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Philippians 4:13 — KJV
A Prayer Based on This Verse
God, I am weary. My strength is gone and I have nothing left to give. I am choosing right now to wait on you — not passively, but with expectation. Carry me on the current of your strength. Let me stop flapping and start soaring. Renew what has been exhausted. I trust that you are the source of every strength I have ever had. Amen.