Skip to the Scriptures about Waiting
In the Bible, waiting is often portrayed as a necessary part of the human experience and a vital aspect of our relationship with God. Rather than a passive act, biblical waiting is active and filled with expectancy, rooted in trust and patience.
In the Psalms, David frequently speaks of waiting on the Lord, urging the faithful to “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” from Psalm 27:14. Isaiah promises that those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles, as found in Isaiah 40:31.
Scriptures about Waiting
Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”
Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”
Isaiah 40:31
“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Psalm 130:5
“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”
Lamentations 3:25-26
“The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”
Psalm 33:20
“Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.”
Isaiah 25:9
“It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.'”
Micah 7:7
“But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”
Psalm 38:15
“But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.”
Psalm 39:7
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.”
James 5:7-8
“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
Psalm 62:5-6
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
Isaiah 30:18
“Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
Proverbs 20:22
“Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.”
Hosea 12:6
“So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”
Psalm 52:9
“I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.”
Psalm 106:13
“But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.”
Romans 8:25
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
Psalm 25:5
“Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”
Genesis 49:18
“I wait for your salvation, O LORD.
Isaiah 8:17
“I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.”
Zephaniah 3:8
“Therefore wait for me,’ declares the LORD, ‘for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.'”
Psalm 59:9
“O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.”
Psalm 69:3
“I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.”
Psalm 119:166
“I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I do your commandments.”
Psalm 123:2
“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.”
Habakkuk 2:3
“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”
Final Thoughts about Waiting in the Bible
This type of waiting involves a deep trust in God’s timing, goodness, and provision. Lamentations reinforces the virtue of patience, stating that it is good to “wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” as mentioned in Lamentations 3:26.
Furthermore, in the New Testament, the early Christians are advised to patiently wait for the Lord’s return, comparing their waiting to a farmer who expects the valuable harvest from James 5:7-8. Overall, the Bible paints a picture of waiting not as a burdensome ordeal but as a time of hope, anticipation, and preparation, always rooted in trust in God’s perfect plan and timing.
