They That Wait...

[Robert Williams]

Here's a little nugget from the Hebrew langauage:



Isaiah 40:31 is an oft quoted passage from Scripture. In the King James Version, it reads: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

While the KJV rendering is a decent word-for-word translation of the verse, but have you ever wondered exactly what it means to "wait on the LORD?" Does it mean that we are to conduct ourselves as a table waiter and rush to and fro, taking pains to make sure that we get His order just right, ensuring that His glass is never empty, hoping for a big payoff in the form of some Heavenly tip that He will leave us when our time of servitude is complete?

Or do we interpret it as standing still (or sitting on our gluteus maximus) and idly waiting for God to show up and plug us into His power source to recharge our spiritual battery? The picture hiding behind the original Hebrew text adds an unbelievable level of depth to the passage. Here is an overview of some of the key words from the verse followed by a full picture translation.

The word translated into English as "wait" is from the Hebrew root, qavah [H6960]. It is quite different from the way we understand the word "wait" in 21st century English. In Hebrew, to qavah is to twist and bind as the fibers that make up a rope. The concept behind the word is of the many different strands of a rope--some long, some thick, some hair-thin, some as short as a quarter-inch--but when bunched together and twisted into a rope, the threads gain strength from one another as they are bound together. Individually, one might break the threads with minimal effort, but becomes impossible once they have become bound together. Added to the meaning is the idea of waiting in expectation, from the sense of enduring (which is also connected to the concept of strength.)

To "wait" Scripturally is an active process in which we twist and bind the fibers of our life--our wants, needs, desires, strengths, weaknesses, etc--to the very fibers that make up Who God is--His righteousness, His holiness, His love, His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness, His Word, His precepts, His instruction, to stand before His face in prayer (the list goes on indefinitely in that binding ourselves to God is a lifelong process through which we grow closer to Him).

"Renew" comes from the Hebrew root chalaph [H2498] poetically used for "to slip, to glide, spoken of the swift motion of anything smooth". Because the usage in this reference is in HIPHIL (similar to an English verb tense), it has the added meaning "to cause to revive, to sprout forth and hence to gain new strength (renew one's strength)." This should be understood that the renewal of one's strength is something that comes easily, without extending a lot of effort.

"Strength" is from the Hebrew koach [H3581], a noun meaning strength, but also ability, power (of doing anything), and substance.

"Mount up" is from the Hebrew 'alah [H5927], meaning to go up, to be lifted up (spoken of those who go from a lower region to a higher region), as well as of things that are lifted up and carried away. In the context of this verse, it is connected to the idea of the wing feathers of eagles, used for soaring on wind currents. So those who "wait" upon Yahveh will be lifted up high above the storms that come their way.

Eagles fly high above all--they can see the storms coming from far off. We can't grow wings and fly like an eagle, but we can be lifted up to become aware of the bigger picture. We don't have to worry about the storms because when we fly high enough, we can see their end, and because we are tightly bound to Yahveh, we don't have to be afraid.

"Run" is from the Hebrew ruwts [H7323] which means "to run", but not leisurely as if taking a jog, or running aimlessly without a care. Ruwts is to run as the messenger of the king who is delivering royal madates, also used of messengers on horseback. It is to run with a purpose and authority.

"Weary" is from the Hebrew yaga' [H3021] meaning to labor, especially with effort and toil. It is to work oneself into a state of complete weariness and exhaustion. Often, when we fall victim to the trap of doing works to get closer to God, of adhering to "Holiness" to make Him happy with us, we end up burned out, wearied, worn to a frazzle. On the other hand, if we run with the strength that we get from twisting and binding ourselves to Yahveh--when our works are a result of our drawing closer to Him--we will never become exhausted from the effort.

"Walk" is from the Hebrew yalak [H3212], which points to halak [H1980]. This does not mean putting one foot in front of the other in a straight line, as it can be understood in English. To halak is to go with someone, to pursue them, to follow and imitate them in lifestyle and manners. It is metaphorical for the totality of how you live your life. If your life is twisted and bound to Yahveh, your lifestyle will imitate His existence. You will never "faint" (Hebrew ya'aph) [H3286] which means to become wearied out from running or hard labor.

The secret to this whole passage is the concept behind qavah--to twist and bind yourself to Yahveh, for from it you become lifted up above the storms of life, you find the ability and purpose to run as the King's messenger, you find the passion to eagerly pursue and imitate Him, and you will never grow weary of the relationship you are cultivating.

Here is my translation with the picture restored:
Those who twist and bind their lives to Yahveh as the cords of a rope, gaining strength through twisting and binding themselves to Him will swiftly and effortlessly sprout forth, revive and renew their strength, ability and power, they will be lifted up and carried away as on soaring eagle's wings, they shall run as the king's horsemen carrying royal mandates, as the royal messenger and not become exhausted, weary or fatigued from the effort, they will live their lives following, pursuing, imitating and walking with Him and never become wearied of their relationship.

May you find your strength in binding yourself to Yahveh.
Shalom v' shalom!
RW

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