Isaiah 40:31 Meaning
But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (BSB)
Isaiah 40:31 promises that those who wait on the Lord, trusting and hoping in him, will have their strength renewed. They will soar like eagles, run without growing weary and walk without fainting. Spoken to exhausted exiles, it is a promise of God's strength for the long road, not instant relief.
The context
Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my claim is ignored by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out. He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:27-31 (BSB)
Isaiah 40 opens a new section of the book, chapters 40 to 55, which speaks comfort to God's people facing exile in Babylon. It is traditionally linked with the prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem in the eighth century BC, though many scholars think this part was written later, during the exile itself. Either way, it begins with God's call to comfort his people.
The chapter paints a vast picture of God. He measures the oceans in the hollow of his hand, the nations are like a drop in a bucket before him, rulers wither like grass, and he calls every star by name. Idols, made by craftsmen and propped up so they will not topple, look useless by comparison.
Then, in verse 27, the tone turns. The people are complaining that their way is hidden from the Lord and that God has ignored their cause. Verses 28 to 31 answer them: the everlasting Creator never grows tired, his understanding cannot be measured, and he gives power to the faint. Even the young and fit stumble, but those who wait on the Lord are renewed.
What it means
The verse is spoken to tired people. These were exiles who had lost their home, their temple and much of their hope, and who felt God had forgotten them. The promise does not scold them for being weary. It tells them where strength comes from: not from youth, effort or willpower, which all run out, but from the God who never does.
To wait on the Lord, in the Hebrew sense, is not passively killing time. It carries the idea of waiting with expectant hope and trust, looking to God for what only he can give. Some translations render it as hoping in the Lord. Waiting is an active posture of dependence, especially when nothing seems to be happening.
The order of the images is surprising. It goes from soaring, to running, to walking. You might expect it to build up, but it moves down to the most ordinary pace. That is part of its wisdom. There are moments of soaring, but most of life is putting one foot in front of the other, and God promises strength for the plain, daily walk as well.
The eagle was a picture of strength and freedom, riding air currents with little effort. Elsewhere God tells Israel that he carried them on eagles' wings out of Egypt. The strength in this verse is not self-generated. It is like a bird lifted by a current it did not create, which is a good picture of what it means to be renewed by God.
How to pray Isaiah 40:31
Everlasting God, I am tired, and some days I feel hidden from you. Thank you that you never grow weary and that your understanding has no limit. I am not as strong as I want to be, and I am done pretending I can do this alone. Teach me to wait on you with hope. Renew my strength, whether I need to soar, to run or just to keep walking today. Lift me on a strength that is yours and not mine. Amen.
Verses to read alongside it
Wait patiently for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14 (BSB)
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:25-26 (BSB)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16 (BSB)
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9 (BSB)
‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
Exodus 19:4 (BSB)
Questions people ask
What does Isaiah 40:31 mean?
It means that people who trust and hope in God will receive fresh strength from him. They will rise like eagles, run without wearing out and walk without fainting. It was first spoken to weary exiles who felt forgotten, and it promises God's renewing strength for the long haul rather than an instant end to hardship.
What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
It means more than sitting idle. The Hebrew carries the sense of waiting with hope and expectation, trusting God to act in his time. It is an active dependence: praying, holding on and continuing to do what is right while you look to God for what you cannot produce yourself.
Why does Isaiah 40:31 go from flying to running to walking?
Many readers think the order is deliberate. Moments of soaring are rare, while most of life happens at walking pace. By ending with walking and not fainting, the verse promises that God's strength is there for ordinary days and long stretches of endurance, not only for dramatic high points.
Who was Isaiah 40:31 written to?
It was spoken to God's people Israel in the setting of the Babylonian exile, when they had lost their land and temple. In verse 27 they complain that God has ignored them. Verses 28 to 31 answer that complaint by pointing to God's endless power and his care for the weary.
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Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is in the public domain.