Bible verses about hope, from people who had reasons not to

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Pilgrims sang this on the climb to Jerusalem. The hills could hide bandits or pagan shrines; the psalmist looks past them to the maker of the hills.

“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

God calls his people by name and promises presence through water and fire — not a detour around them. The context is Israel's exile and return.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

God's promise of "plans to prosper you" was sent to exiles who would spend seventy years in Babylon. Commentators stress: it's a promise of a good end after a long wait, not a quick rescue.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Written after the destruction of Jerusalem — the saddest book in the Bible — these verses are its hinge: God's steadfast love and mercies are "new every morning."

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.””

When the disciples ask who can possibly be saved, Jesus answers that what's impossible for people is possible for God. The context is a rich man who couldn't let go.

“For nothing will be impossible with God.””

The angel's words to Mary when she asks how she can bear a child: nothing is impossible with God. Spoken to a frightened teenager with an impossible assignment.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Paul says God works all things together for good for those who love him. Commentators stress "together" and "for good" — not that all things are good, but that God weaves them toward good.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Three short commands: joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Paul assumes affliction will come and prescribes a posture for inside it.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Paul's blessing: the God of hope fills you with joy and peace in believing, so that you overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit's power. Hope is received, not manufactured.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Paul's doxology: God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, by his power at work within us. The "more" is beyond asking, not just beyond getting.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

The Bible's picture of the end: God wipes every tear, and death, mourning, crying, and pain are gone, "for the old order of things has passed away." A promise, not a present reality.

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

David, hunted and low, asks to hear of God's steadfast love 'in the morning' and to be shown the way to walk. Commentators note the order: love first, then direction — and both are asked for, not assumed.

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

David contrasts God's anger, 'for a moment,' with his favor, 'for a lifetime.' Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Commentators read this as a pattern God keeps, not a timetable.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

The psalmist talks to his own soul: 'Why are you cast down?' and answers himself: 'Hope in God.' Commentators call this preaching to yourself instead of listening to yourself.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Paul is confident that 'he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.' God finishes what he starts.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

'Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.' Holding on depends on his faithfulness, not our grip.

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,”

'We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul' — hope that holds.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”

David waited, God heard, lifted him from a pit and a bog, set his feet on rock. Commentators note 'waited patiently' is literally 'waiting, I waited' — long waiting.

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”

'This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.' Comfort is located in a promise, not in the affliction ending.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;”

'I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.' From a psalm that begins 'out of the depths.' Waiting is active: hoping in his word.

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

'The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me … Do not forsake the work of your hands.' Confidence and request in one breath.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The Christmas verse: a child born, a son given, called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Christians read it as a prophecy of Jesus.

“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”

'He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.' The Old Testament promise Revelation 21:4 echoes.

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

'The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places … like a watered garden.' Given to people who care for the hungry (verse 10).

“to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”

Beauty instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning, praise instead of a faint spirit. Jesus reads this passage about himself in Luke 4.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”

'The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.' From the hinge of the saddest book, right after 'new every morning.'

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”

'But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.' Said when the prophet couldn't trust anyone around him (verses 5–6).

“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.”

'If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.' God's answer to a prophet complaining about delay.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness.' One of Jesus' 'I am' statements.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,”

At Lazarus's tomb: 'I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.' Spoken to a grieving sister.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Suffering produces endurance, endurance character, character hope — and hope doesn't shame us, because God's love is poured into our hearts. A chain, not a slogan.

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

'If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.' The classic summary of Christian faith.

“But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—”

'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.' Paul quotes Isaiah about God's hidden wisdom.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Paul calls his afflictions 'light' and 'momentary' only by comparison with an 'eternal weight of glory,' and says the way through is to look at what is unseen rather than what is seen.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

'For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' Paul, in prison and unsure of the outcome, says either result is good because both belong to Christ.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul says he forgets 'what lies behind' and strains forward 'toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.' Commentators note he had plenty behind him to regret.

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

'For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.' An honest verse about hard seasons.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

'Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life.' James blesses endurance, not escape.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

Peter blesses God who 'has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.' Hope is called 'living' because its source is alive.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

'He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.' Peter echoes Isaiah 53.

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

'Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.' The hope should be visible enough that people ask.

“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”

'Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me.' David asks to be taught, then adds, 'for you I wait all the day long.'

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

'Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!' The psalm ends with the instruction repeated.

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”

'Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!' The closing line of a psalm that moved from distress to trust.

“But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.”

'But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.' The psalmist is old and in trouble, and resolves to keep hoping.

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”

'You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.' Two images of protection and one source of hope.

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!”

'Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!' Commentators note the tears and the sowing happen together — the work continues while crying.

“for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”

'For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.' The righteous are defined by rising, not by never falling.

“For the Lord will not cast off forever, for, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;”

'For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.' Written amid the ruins of Jerusalem.

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

'Though the fig tree should not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.' The prophet lists total agricultural failure and chooses joy anyway.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

'And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.' Four verbs of repair.