Isaiah 40:31 Explained

"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)

Isaiah 40:31 is the Bible's great promise to the exhausted. Strength comes not from striving harder but from waiting on the Lord.

Read it in context: Isaiah 40 · The Book of Isaiah. Also gathered under verses about hope.

Isaiah 40:31 in context

What does Isaiah 40:31 mean?

'Wait' (Hebrew qavah) means to hope expectantly, to bind oneself to God. The renewal is progressive: mount up (soaring moments), run (sustained effort), walk (the daily grind) — and not faint even in the walking, which is the hardest. God meets us in all three speeds.

What is the context of Isaiah 40:31?

Isaiah 40 speaks comfort to a people worn out by exile. The chapter ends with a contrast: even young men faint and fall (40:30), but those who wait on the Lord renew their strength. The promise is to the tired, not the strong.

How do I pray Isaiah 40:31?

Pray this when you are burnt out. Stop striving for the length of the prayer. Say: 'I wait on you — renew my strength.' Don't ask for the soaring first; ask for grace to walk and not faint today.

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