“And I will devise for you a device of peace, and not evil, to bestow upon you these good things.”
Scripture by topic
Bible verses about hope
Ten passages for waiting, endurance, and the hope the Church anchors in the resurrection of Christ.
01
When the way ahead looks closed
Hope in Scripture is not optimism about circumstances. It rests on the character of the God who has already spoken about the future he intends.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
“but they that wait on God shall renew their strength; they shall put forth new feathers like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not hunger.”
02
When hope has to be waited for
The psalms teach the soul to wait. Hope is practiced in the hours when nothing has changed yet, and it is sustained by remembering God's mercy.
“Wherefore art thou very sad, O my soul? and wherefore dost thou trouble me? Hope in God; for I will give thanks to him; He is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
“have I waited for thee, O Lord, My soul has waited for thy word.”
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
03
When hope rests on the resurrection
Christian hope is not a wish. It is grounded in a risen Christ, and it reshapes how present suffering is measured.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”
Questions readers ask
Hope and Scripture
What does the Bible say about hope?
Scripture presents hope as confident trust in God's faithfulness, rooted in his promises and secured by the resurrection of Christ, not in favourable circumstances.
Which Bible verse is best for losing hope?
Romans 15:13, Psalm 41:12, and Isaiah 40:31 speak directly to exhaustion and discouragement, and each invites prayer rather than mere positive thinking.
What is the difference between hope and optimism?
Optimism expects a good outcome. Christian hope trusts a Person, and remains even when the outcome is painful, because it looks toward the resurrection of the body and the life of the age to come.