Psalms 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The repetition of "wait for the LORD" isn't just emphasis; it frames the commands to "be strong" and "let your heart take courage." True strength and courage don't come from within yourself, but are gifts received while you actively and patiently wait on God.
After declaring his unshakeable faith in God's goodness, the psalmist turns inward, directly addressing his own soul or a weakened part of himself. He acknowledges the temptation to despair and urges himself (and by extension, all believers) to actively wait for the Lord, be strong in spirit, and courageously hold onto hope. This final exhortation reiterates the core theme of patient trust in God's timing and strength, especially in the face of ongoing trials.
In a world that tells us to rush and achieve, the Bible calls us to something different. What does it truly mean to 'wait for the LORD'?
The repeated command to "Wait for the LORD!" isn't about passive idleness. It's an active posture of trust and expectation.
Trust Through Waiting
The commentators note that this waiting is about being constantly attentive to God's will and providence, like a servant waiting for their master's command.
Feeling weak or scared? This verse offers a powerful connection between courage and divine enablement. How does God equip us to be strong?
The verse doesn't just tell us to 'be strong'; it connects this courage directly to God's strengthening power.
Inner Fortitude
Understand the original words
qavah · Hebrew Verb
An active, patient expectation and trust in God’s timing and intervention; it is a form of spiritual discipline that relies on His promises rather than human effort.
chazaq · Hebrew Verb
Used to describe inner fortitude and firmness of purpose, often commanded to believers as they face trials and rely on God’s strength.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
In Hebrew thought, the seat of the intellect, will, and emotions; it is the center of human decision-making and the primary place where trust in God is cultivated.
amats · Hebrew Verb
To be brave, bold, or confident, especially in the face of fear or opposition, grounded in the knowledge of God’s presence.
This passage echoes the promise found in Psalm 27:14, stating that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, soaring high like eagles, directly paralleling the encouragement to be strong and find courage.
Romans 8:25Similar to the Psalmist's call to wait patiently, Paul encourages believers to wait with hope for what is not yet seen, linking the act of waiting to a steadfast and courageous perseverance.
Galatians 6:9This verse provides a powerful incentive for the kind of patient endurance and strength called for in Psalm 27:14, reminding us that perseverance in doing good will yield a harvest.
Deuteronomy 31:6This foundational command to be strong and courageous, mirroring Psalm 27:14's exhortation, assures the people that the Lord will be with them, providing the very strength they need.
Lamentations 3:25-26These verses beautifully capture the essence of waiting on the Lord with courage, highlighting that God is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him, underscoring the hope found in patient trust.
cambridgePsalms 27:14: "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
14 . The Psalmist addresses himself, and encourages himself to patience. His faith rebukes his faintness. Be of good courage ] R.V., Be strong, and let thine heart take courage. Cp. Psalm 31:24 ; Deuteronomy 31:7 ; Joshua 1:6-7 ; Joshua 1:9 ; Joshua 1:18 . Wait, I say ] R.V., Yea, wait thou. Cp. Psalm 25:3 ; Psalm 37:9 ; Psalm 37:34 ; Proverbs 20:22 .
gillPsalms 27:14: "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Wait on the Lord,.... This, with what follows, is spoken by the psalmist either to himself or to others, or it may be to both, upon the rich experience he declares in Psalm 27:13 , it becomes believers to wait on the Lord for the common blessings of life, for even the eyes of all wait upon him for their daily food; and for the light of his countenance, when it is withdrawn from t…
The repetition of "wait for the LORD" isn't just emphasis; it frames the commands to "be strong" and "let your heart take courage." True strength and courage don't come from within yourself, but are gifts received while you actively and patiently wait on God.
After declaring his unshakeable faith in God's goodness, the psalmist turns inward, directly addressing his own soul or a weakened part of himself. He acknowledges the temptation to despair and urges himself (and by extension, all believers) to actively wait for the Lord, be strong in spirit, and courageously hold onto hope. This final exhortation reiterates the core theme of patient trust in God's timing and strength, especially in the face of ongoing trials.
After declaring his unshakeable faith in God's goodness, the psalmist turns inward, directly addressing his own soul or a weakened part of himself. He acknowledges the temptation to despair and urges himself (and by extension, all believers) to actively wait for the Lord, be strong in spirit, and courageously hold onto hope. This final exhortation reiterates the core theme of patient trust in God's timing and strength, especially in the face of ongoing trials.
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The commentators highlight that this strength is needed against internal struggles (our own hearts) and external foes (Satan and the world).
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" — The repetition of "wait for the LORD" isn't just emphasis; it frames the commands to "be strong" and "let your heart take courage." True strength and courage don't come from within yourself, but are…
