Waiting

Waiting is hard, and the Psalms say so honestly. David asks for courage while enemies watch his house, and still says, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.” Another psalm adds a gentler instruction: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” The same word covers servants watching their master’s hand, believers looking for the Lord’s return, and even God himself, who in Isaiah 30:18 waits in order to be gracious. The passages describe waiting as trust in a person, not as time merely passing.

25 verses

Genesis

Genesis 49:18

I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

Psalms

Psalms 25:3

Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

Psalms 25:21

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Psalms 27:14

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

Psalms 33:20

Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

Psalms 37:7

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Psalms 52:9

I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

Psalms 59:1

To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.

Psalms 59:2

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.

Psalms 59:3

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.

Psalms 59:4

They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.

Psalms 59:5

Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

Psalms 59:6

They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

Psalms 59:7

Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

Psalms 59:8

But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

Psalms 59:9

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalms 104:27

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

Psalms 104:28

That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

Psalms 123:2

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Proverbs

Proverbs 20:22

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

Isaiah

Isaiah 30:18

And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

Isaiah 42:4

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Mark

Mark 15:43

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Luke

Luke 12:36

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:7

So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.