Isaiah 40:28-31 tells you that the everlasting God never runs out of strength, and that he gives strength to people who feel completely worn down. The passage is a word of comfort to a discouraged nation, reminding them that the God who made the whole earth is not tired of them and has not lost track of their situation. It belongs to the second major section of the book of Isaiah, written to Judah during or near the Babylonian exile, when the people felt forgotten and exhausted.
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 moves through a simple argument. It begins with a question that expects a yes: have you not known and heard that the LORD is the everlasting Creator? Then it describes his character, saying he does not faint, does not grow weary, and understands things far beyond human grasp. From that God, the passage turns to human experience: even young, healthy people eventually stumble and collapse.
The turn comes in verse 31, where the picture shifts from exhaustion to renewal. The people who wait on the LORD receive fresh strength, and the images move from soaring like eagles to running and then to ordinary walking, each one showing that God’s strength carries his people through every stage of life.
Context of Isaiah 40:28-31
The book of Isaiah is traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, who ministered in Jerusalem in the eighth century B.C. Chapters 40 to 66 are often read as a separate section, addressed to a people living under the shadow of Babylon and facing the prospect of return from exile. Many scholars see these chapters as shaped by a later prophetic voice carrying Isaiah’s message forward, though the church has long received the whole book as one prophetic work.
The verses just before this passage, from Isaiah 40:25-27, ask who can be compared to the Holy One and then complain that Israel feels its way has been hidden from God. Verse 28 answers that complaint directly. The surrounding verses are not abstract theology; they respond to a real sense of abandonment, and the reply is a reminder of who God is.
Isaiah 40:28-31 Verse by Verse
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
(WEB)
Paul writes about finding strength through Christ in every circumstance, whether in plenty or in need. The verse echoes Isaiah’s message that real strength comes from outside the self and is sustained by the one who provides it.
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 heavy-laden to come to him for rest. The invitation parallels Isaiah’s picture of God renewing the exhausted, showing that the same faithful God is at work in both testaments.
A Prayer Based on Isaiah 40:28-31
Lord, you are the everlasting God, and you do not faint or grow weary. I bring you my tiredness today, the parts of me that feel empty and the hopes that have grown thin. I confess that I often try to carry things on my own strength, and I am worn out by it. Teach me to wait for you with patience and trust. Renew my strength in the places where I am weakest, and help me walk, run, or rise as you give me the ability for each day. Thank you that your understanding is greater than mine and that you never run out of power. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Isaiah 40:28-31?
The passage is traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah, who lived in Jerusalem in the eighth century B.C. Many scholars believe chapters 40 to 66 reflect a later prophetic voice addressing the exile, but the message is consistent with Isaiah’s wider ministry.
What does “wait for the LORD” mean in Isaiah 40:31?
In this context, waiting means active trust and dependence on God rather than passive inactivity. It involves turning to him in prayer, patience, and obedience while expecting him to act. The renewal promised in the verse belongs to those who keep their hope fixed on him.
Does Isaiah 40:31 promise that believers will never feel tired?
The verse speaks of renewed strength and the ability to keep going, but it does not promise the absence of all physical or emotional weariness. It assures believers that God sustains them through every stage of life, including seasons of real exhaustion.
