Psalm 27:14

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) He shall strengthen.—Better, let thy heart be strong.

Wait . . .—Heb., wait for Jehovah, and wait for Jehovah.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 27:14. Wait on the Lord — O my soul, to which some think he now turns his speech: or rather, O reader, whosoever thou art, wait on God by faith and prayer, and in an humble resignation to his will. Hebrew, יהוה

קוה אל, kavveh eel Jehovah, look to, or hope for, or expect, the Lord. Be of good courage — Keep up thy spirits in the midst of thy greatest dangers and difficulties: let thy heart be fixed, trusting in God, and thy mind stayed on him, and then none of these things will move thee; wait, I say, on the Lord — Whatever thou doest, grow not remiss or careless in thy attendance upon God, but keep close to him and thy duty. “The psalmist here,” says Dr. Dodd, after Bishop Patrick, “admonishes any person who shall fall into such straits as his, to learn by his example not to be impatient, or to despond presently, much less to despair of relief, if God do not send it just when it is expected. There is no misery so strong and grievous, no devotion so fervent and powerful, as can bring God to article for the time of deliverance; if we will not wait, he will not come. It may be one of the greatest ends for which the affliction we labour under is applied to us, to reform and reduce us, and root out the passion and impatience of our nature; and God is too good a physician to remove the medicine before it hath wrought its effect, or to put us out of his hand before he hath cured us. Indeed, he hath greater reason to teach us this lesson thoroughly, since when he hath given us the deliverance we pray for, and all that we can desire in this life, there is still somewhat more, and of more value than that which he hath given us, which we must wait for:” we must wait “till the few and evil days of our pilgrimage pass away, and we arrive at the mansions prepared for us in the house of our heavenly Father; till our warfare be accomplished, and terminate in the peace of God; till the storms and tempests of wintry time shall give place to the unclouded calm and the ever-blooming pleasures of eternal spring.” — Horne.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:7-14 Wherever the believer is, he can find a way to the throne of grace by prayer. God calls us by his Spirit, by his word, by his worship, and by special providences, merciful and afflicting. When we are foolishly making court to lying vanities, God is, in love to us, calling us to seek our own mercies in him. The call is general, Seek ye my face; but we must apply it to ourselves, I will seek it. The word does us no good, when we do not ourselves accept the exhortation: a gracious heart readily answers to the call of a gracious God, being made willing in the day of his power. The psalmist requests the favour of the Lord; the continuance of his presence with him; the benefit of Divine guidance, and the benefit of Divine protection. God's time to help those that trust in him, is, when all other helpers fail. He is a surer and better Friend than earthly parents are, or can be. What was the belief which supported the psalmist? That he should see the goodness of the Lord. There is nothing like the believing hope of eternal life, the foresights of that glory, and foretastes of those pleasures, to keep us from fainting under all calamities. In the mean time he should be strengthened to bear up under his burdens. Let us look unto the suffering Saviour, and pray in faith, not to be delivered into the hands of our enemies. Let us encourage each other to wait on the Lord, with patient expectation, and fervent prayer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wait on the Lord - This is the sum of all the instruction in the psalm; the main lesson which the psalm is designed to convey. The object is to induce others, from the experience of the psalmist, to trust in the Lord; to rely upon Him; to come to Him in trouble and danger; to wait for His interposition when all other resources fail. Compare Psalm 25:3.

Be of good courage - The Hebrew word here means, "be strong." That is, do not faint. Do not be dismayed. Still hope and trust in the Lord.

He shall strengthen thine heart - He will strengthen "thee." He will enable you to perform your duties, and to triumph over your enemies. See the notes at Isaiah 40:31.

Wait, I say, on the Lord - Repeating an idea with which the heart was full; a lesson resulting from his own rich experience. He dwells upon it as a lesson which he would fix deeply in the mind, that in all times of danger and difficulty, instead of despondency, instead of sinking down in despair, instead of giving up all effort, we should go forward in the discharge of duty, putting our trust solely in the Lord.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. Wait, &c.—in confident expectation. The last clause is, literally, "and wait," &c., as if expecting new measures of help.

The Treasury of David

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." Wait at his door with prayer; wait at his foot with humility; wait at his table with service; wait at his window with expectancy. Suitors often win nothing but the cold shoulder from earthly patrons after long and obsequious waiting; he speeds best whose patron is in the skies. "Be of good courage." A soldier's motto. Be it mine. Courage we shall need, and for the exercise of it we have as much reason as necessity, if we are soldiers of King Jesus. "And he shall strengthen thine heart." He can lay the plaister right upon the weak place. Let the heart be strengthened, and the whole machine of humanity is filled with power; a strong heart makes a strong arm. What strength is this which God himself gives to the heart? Read the "Book of Martyrs," and see its glorious deeds of prowess; go to God rather, and get such power thyself. "Wait, I say, on the Lord." David, in the words "I say," sets his own private seal to the word which, as an inspired man, he had been moved to write. It is his testimony as well as the command of God, and indeed he who writes these scanty notes has himself found it so sweet, so reviving, so profitable to draw near to God, that on his own account he also feels bound to write, "Wait, I say, on the Lord."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Wait on the Lord, O my soul; to which he now turneth his speech; as he frequently doth in this book.

He shall strengthen thine heart; he will uphold thee, and keep thee from fainting and sinking under thy burdens.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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 them, for he will return again at the set time; and for answers of prayer, which will be given sooner or later; and for the performance of his promises, which are yea and amen in Christ: they should wait upon him in his house and ordinances constantly, with reverence and godly fear; they should wait upon him as servants on their masters, observe his orders, and diligently execute them; and, as beggars for their alms, they should knock and wait at Wisdom's gates, tell their case and wait, take repulses and wait, and, when they succeed, give thanks. It is good to wait upon the Lord; many are the favours and blessings such receive now, and eye has not seen what God has prepared for them that wait for him;

be of good courage; the saints have need of courage, considering the enemies they have to grapple with; the corruptions of their own hearts, the enemies of a man's own house; the worst of all, Satan, and his principalities and powers; and men of the world, and a world of them: and they have great reason, notwithstanding, be of good courage, since God is for them; Christ is the Captain of their salvation; the Holy Spirit, that is in them, is greater than he that is in the world; angels encamp around them; they are provided with the whole armour of God; they are engaged in a good cause, are sure of victory, and shall wear the crown of righteousness; and it follows,

and he shall strengthen thine heart; that is, the Lord will do it, as he has promised to them that wait on him, Isaiah 40:31; or "let thine heart be strengthened": as the Septuagint render it; and so the Chaldee paraphrase, "strengthen thine heart"; taking it for an exhortation; as indeed it seems to be by what goes before and follows; see Joshua 1:6;

wait, I say, on the Lord; this is repeated, to express the importance of this duty, and to encourage to it.

Geneva Study Bible

{i} Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

(i) He exhorts himself to depend on the Lord seeing he never failed in his promises.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Wait on the Lord. This is an exhortation, not to others, but to himself (comp. Psalm 62:5; and see also Psalm 42:5, 11; Psalm 43:5). His stronger self exhorts his weaker self not to despair, but to wait upon God - to tarry, i.e., the Lord's leisure - and, meanwhile to be of good courage; or, be strong (comp. Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:6; 1 Chronicles 22:13), as the phrase is elsewhere generally translated. "Be strong," he says to himself, and he (i.e. God) shall strengthen thine heart. "Aide-tot, le ciel l'aidera." Make an effort to be strong, and the strength will be given thee, as thou makest it. Then in this strength, thus given, continue till waiting - Wait, I say, on the Lord.



Psalm 27:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Self-encouragement to firmer confidence of faith. Joined to Psalm 27:12 (Aben-Ezra, Kimchi), Psalm 27:13 trails badly after it. We must, with Geier, Dachselt, and others, suppose that the apodosis is wanting to the protasis with its לוּלא pointed with three points above,

(Note: The ו has not any point above it, because it might be easily mistaken for a Cholem, vid., Baer's Psalterium p. 130.)

and four below, according to the Masora (cf. B. Berachoth 4a), but a word which is indispensably necessary, and is even attested by the lxx (ἑαυτῇ) and the Targum (although not by any other of the ancient versions); cf. the protasis with לוּ, which has no apodosis, in Genesis 50:15, and the apodoses with כּי after לוּלי in Genesis 31:42; Genesis 43:10; 1 Samuel 35:34; 2 Samuel 2:27 (also Numbers 22:33, where אוּלי equals אם לא equals לוּלי), which are likewise to be explained per aposiopesin. The perfect after לוּלא (לוּלי) has sometimes the sense of a plusquamperfectum (as in Genesis 43:10, nisi cunctati essemus), and sometimes the sense of an imperfect, as in the present passage (cf. Deuteronomy 32:29, si saperent). The poet does not speak of a faith that he once had, a past faith, but, in regard to the danger that is even now abiding and present, of the faith he now has, a present faith. The apodosis ought to run something like this (Psalm 119:92; Psalm 94:17): did I not believe, were not confidence preserved to me...then (אז( ne or כּי אז) I should perish; or: then I had suddenly perished. But he has such faith, and he accordingly in Psalm 27:14 encourages himself to go on cheerfully waiting and hoping; he speaks to himself, it is, as it were, the believing half of his soul addressing the despondent and weaker half. Instead of ואמץ (Deuteronomy 31:7) the expression is, as in Psalm 31:25, ויאמץ לבּך, let thy heart be strong, let it give proof of strength. The rendering "May He (Jahve) strengthen thy heart" would require יאמּץ; but האמיץ, as e.g., הרחיב Psalm 25:17, belongs to the transitive denominatives applying to the mind or spirit, in which the Hebrew is by no means poor, and in which the Arabic is especially rich.