Isaiah 40:28–31: Edit history

Context

Chapter 40 of Isaiah opens with "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people" (Isaiah 40:1) and is the first chapter of the section (chapters 40–55) that proclaims comfort and restoration. The traditional view holds that the chapter records words that the prophet Isaiah spoke in advance to a people who would later be carried off to Babylon. Historical-critical scholarship attributes it to an anonymous prophet active during the exile (sixth century BC), commonly called "Second Isaiah" (Deutero-Isaiah). On either view, the audience is an Israel worn out by long captivity.

In verse 27, immediately before the passage, the people lament, "My way is hid from the LORD." Verses 28–31 answer that lament. The preceding section (verses 12–26) demonstrates the powerlessness of idols and of the nations. This passage then concludes that God, "the Creator of the ends of the earth," "fainteth not, neither is weary," and that He imparts His strength to the weary.

Interpretation

To "wait upon" the LORD means to look up to Him in hope. The corresponding Hebrew word, qavah, combines the ideas of waiting and hoping. The Korean Revised New Korean Standard Version renders it as "those who make [the LORD] their hope." In keeping with the sense of the Hebrew, the phrase "shall renew their strength" is sometimes explained as "to renew (or exchange) strength."

• Historical reading: This reading takes the passage as a promise of strength for the journey home from exile (compare Isaiah 40:3, "Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the LORD").
• Theological reading: This reading focuses on the contrast between the tireless Creator and failing human beings ("the youths" and "the young men"). It understands the passage as a call to trust in God's creation and providence.
• Devotional reading: This reading takes the passage as a promise that believers who wait on God in prayer will have their strength restored. It often draws attention to the sequence of mounting up, running, and walking. A common interpretation in preaching holds that the climax is not dramatic experience but a steady faith that keeps walking without fainting.

Questions Concerning Application

First, there is the question of whether "waiting" may be read as passive resignation. Commentators often explain that qavah includes active trust and expectation.

Second, the passage is frequently used as a prayer for personal success or for passing examinations. In response, some point out that it should also be read as comfort originally addressed to an entire weary community of faith.

Third, a story claiming that the eagle (or kite), at about forty years of age, plucks out its own beak and talons and is reborn is sometimes used as an illustration of this passage. This story, however, has been criticized as having no biological basis.

In Korean Churches

In Korean churches, the passage is widely used as a Scripture memory verse. It is also often used as a New Year's motto, a retreat theme, and a word of encouragement for graduates and students preparing for examinations. The phrase "they shall mount up with wings as eagles" appears in the lyrics of many Korean gospel songs and has become a familiar expression in Korea even outside the church.

Related Passages

• Psalm 103:5
• Psalm 27:14
• Isaiah 30:15
• 2 Corinthians 4:16
• Habakkuk 3:19