Isaiah 40:28-31 tells you that the God who created the world never grows tired, and that he gives strength to people who feel worn out and powerless. The passage promises renewed strength to those who wait on the Lord, and it reassures a discouraged people that their God has not lost track of them. It comes from the second half of the book of Isaiah, written to Israelites who felt exiled, forgotten and far from home in Babylon.
28 Haven’t you known? Haven’t you heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint. He isn’t weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might. 30 Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall; 31 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 40:28-31 (WEB)
Isaiah 40:28-31 Summary
The passage opens with two questions that expect a yes: have you not known, and have you not heard? The answer is that the eternal Lord, the Creator of the whole earth, does not faint or grow weary, and his understanding cannot be measured. From that fact the prophet draws a conclusion about the people. Because God does not run out of power, he gives strength to those who have none, and even young, healthy people can collapse from exhaustion.
The final verse turns the argument into a promise. Those who wait for the Lord will have their strength renewed, and the picture moves from soaring like eagles to running without tiring to walking without fainting. The movement goes from the greatness of God to the weakness of his people and then to the renewal that comes from trusting him.
Context of Isaiah 40:28-31
The book of Isaiah is traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, who ministered in Judah in the eighth century BC. Chapters 40 to 66 are often read as a separate section with a different setting, speaking to a people living under foreign domination and facing the prospect of return from exile. The surrounding verses in Isaiah 40:25-34 begin with a question about who can be compared to God, and they move through the wonder of the created heavens to the claim that not one star is lacking.
Read in that setting, verses 28-31 respond to a complaint. In verse 27 the people say that their way is hidden from the Lord and that God has disregarded their cause. The prophet answers that complaint directly. He does not argue the people out of their feelings; he points them to what they already know about the character of the God who made the stars.
Isaiah 40:28-31 Verse by Verse
Psalm 121:2
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(WEB)
This verse reminds the reader that their help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. It echoes the Isaiah passage by locating strength in the Creator rather than in the person seeking help.
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
(WEB)
Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to him for rest. The promise of rest and renewal in this verse connects naturally to the renewal of strength described in Isaiah.
A Prayer Based on Isaiah 40:28-31
Lord, you do not faint or grow weary, and your understanding is beyond anything I can measure. I come to you tired and aware of my limits, and I admit that I cannot keep going on my own strength. Give power to me in my weakness, and increase what little strength I have for the tasks you have placed before me today. Teach me to wait on you with patience and trust, believing that you will renew me in your time. Help me to rise, to run and to walk in faith, knowing that you are near. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Isaiah 40:28-31 written to?
The passage was written to the people of Judah, many of whom were exiled or living under foreign rule. It speaks to a community that felt forgotten by God and needed reassurance of his faithfulness.
What does it mean to wait for the Lord?
Waiting for the Lord means trusting him actively while his timing and plans unfold. It involves prayer, patience and a settled expectation that he will act faithfully.
Why does God give strength to the weak in Isaiah 40?
The passage presents God as the source of all power, so he is able to supply strength where people have none of their own. Weakness becomes the place where the reader is invited to depend on him.
