Isaiah 40:31
«But those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.»
Waiting on God is not passive; it is the path by which he renews our strength and lifts us beyond our limits.
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Understand the verse
What this verse is about
Isaiah 40:31 promises that those who “wait for the LORD” receive fresh strength from him, not merely a return to their own reserves. The images of eagles soaring, running without weariness, and walking without fainting describe God-enabled endurance across seasons of life. “Waiting” means trusting, hoping, and leaning on God’s timing and character rather than forcing outcomes. The verse encourages steady faith that results in renewed capacity for both extraordinary moments and daily perseverance.
Context
Isaiah 40 opens a new section of the book with “Comfort, comfort my people,” announcing God’s intent to restore Israel after judgment. The chapter contrasts the fleeting power of nations and idols with the everlasting strength and wisdom of the Creator who measures the heavens. Verses 27–31 address weary exiles who feel forgotten, reminding them that the LORD never faints and gives power to the faint. The promise in verse 31 is the climax: hope fixed on the LORD exchanges our weakness for his strength.
When people especially turn to it
Use this verse when facing exhaustion, anxiety about the future, long waiting seasons, chronic struggle, or decisions that feel beyond your capacity. It speaks when quick fixes fail and you need steady endurance more than instant results.
A short prayer
Lord, teach me to wait on you with trust and patience, and exchange my emptiness for your strength. Lift my heart to see as you see, and steady my steps for today’s path.
Key phrases in Isaiah 40:31
«those who wait for Yahweh»
“Wait” (Hebrew qavah) means to hope, look eagerly, and bind oneself by trust; it is active reliance, not idle delay.
«will renew their strength»
“Renew” (Hebrew chalaph) carries the idea of exchange or replacement: God supplies new strength, not just a refill of ours.
«They will mount up with wings like eagles»
Eagle imagery evokes powerful, sustained lift; in Hebrew poetry, it pictures God-enabled rise above obstacles.
«They will run, and not be weary»
Running points to strenuous seasons; with God’s strength, exertion does not deplete to collapse.
«They will walk, and not faint»
Walking is ordinary faithfulness; God sustains endurance in daily, unspectacular obedience.
Historical background of Isaiah 40:31
Isaiah, an eighth–seventh century BC prophet in Judah, is traditionally recognized as the author; Isaiah 40 addresses people anticipating or enduring Babylonian exile in the 6th century BC. Judah had seen Assyrian aggression earlier, and later Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, deporting leaders and artisans. In that world, royal proclamations announced a king’s arrival by preparing a straight road; Isaiah 40 uses that image (“prepare the way”) to declare God’s coming to rescue. The ancient Near East revered carved idols carried in processions, but Isaiah mocks their impotence compared to the Creator who spans the heavens. Exiles far from Zion longed for return and temple worship; this chapter assures them that the everlasting God can and will restore his people.
Theological themes in Isaiah 40:31
Divine strength
God shares his power with the weak, replacing human insufficiency with his enduring might for every pace of life.
Hope and waiting
Biblical waiting is covenant trust in God’s timing and character, the posture through which renewal comes.
Creator and sovereignty
The promise rests on God as Creator over nations and idols; his limitless power grounds our confidence.
Perseverance in exile
God equips his people to endure long seasons of displacement and delay, sustaining both extraordinary effort and daily faithfulness.
Cross references for Isaiah 40:31
«Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalms 27»
Connection: Echoes the call to courageous waiting that yields strength.
«who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.»
Connection: Links renewal and eagle imagery with God’s satisfying care.
«“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.»
Connection: Jesus invites the weary to receive divine rest, fulfilling the promise of renewed strength.
«He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.»
Connection: God’s power meeting human weakness clarifies how strength is “renewed.”
«Let’s not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season if we don’t give up.»
Connection: Encourages perseverance without fainting, aligned with Isaiah’s walking and running without weariness.
Other wordings
WEB (World English Bible)
«but those who wait for the LORD will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40»
Public-domain modern translation used on this page.
KJV (King James Version)
«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.»
Classic 1611 English translation.
How to apply Isaiah 40:31
- Set aside a daily five-minute “waiting” time: read Isaiah 40:27–31 slowly, breathe, and name what you’re entrusting to God today.
- Identify one area you’re forcing outcomes; choose one concrete delay or limit this week to practice trust in God’s timing.
- Read Isaiah 40 aloud and note every attribute of God; turn each into a one-sentence prayer for strength.
- When facing a heavy task, pray this verse before starting, then work in focused intervals, asking for renewal at each break.
- Share the verse with someone weary and offer to pray with them, reinforcing hope through community.
Questions for reflection on Isaiah 40:31
- Where am I trying to run on my own energy, and what would “waiting on the LORD” look like instead?
- Which pace describes my current season—soaring, running, or walking—and how might God be strengthening me in it?
- What fear makes waiting hardest for me, and what promise in Isaiah 40 answers that fear?
- How have I seen God exchange my weakness for his strength in the past?
Memorize Isaiah 40:31
Break the verse into three beats—wait/renew; soar; run/walk—and say each beat with a pause. Anchor words: wait—renew—eagles—run—walk; write them on a card and rehearse morning and evening.
FAQ
What does “wait for the LORD” mean here?
It means to hope in, trust, and look expectantly to God’s character and timing, actively relying on him rather than rushing ahead.
Who first received this promise?
Israelites facing or living through Babylonian exile, who felt forgotten and exhausted by long delay.
How does the immediate context shape the meaning?
Isaiah 40 contrasts God’s everlasting power with human frailty, so the promise rests on who God is, not on our stamina.
How can I apply this practically?
Build small rhythms of prayerful waiting, name specific burdens to God, and take the next faithful step trusting him to supply strength.
Is there a New Testament connection?
Jesus invites the weary to come to him (Matthew 11:28), and Paul teaches that God’s power is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Why do translations differ (wait/hope/trust)?
The Hebrew qavah carries the ideas of waiting and hoping intertwined; versions choose the best English nuance.
Does this promise remove all fatigue?
No; it promises God’s sustaining strength for the tasks he gives, enabling endurance rather than perpetual ease.
