Psalms 27:14 – “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD”
WAITING CAN BE HARD.
Meaning of Psalm 27:14 Under Grace: Under the New Covenant of Grace, where we no longer strive to earn God’s favor through works but live in the finished work of Jesus, Psalm 27:14 becomes a beautiful reminder of trusting in God’s timing with confident expectation, not fear or striving.
Here’s what it means, through the eyes of grace:
1.”Wait on the LORD” = Trust with Confident Expectation – To “wait” in the Old Testament Hebrew doesn’t mean passive idleness—it means to hope confidently, to expect God’s goodness. Under grace, this means resting in the finished work of Christ, knowing that God is already working things out for our good (Romans 8:28). Waiting becomes an act of faith, not frustration.
2..”Be of good courage” = Take Heart in His Faithfulness – Courage here is not mustered up by our strength—it comes from knowing who God is and what Jesus has done. Grace teaches us that our confidence is in Him, not ourselves
3. “He shall strengthen thine heart” = Grace Empowers You from Within – Strength under grace is supernatural. It’s not just emotional encouragement—it’s inner renewal by the Holy Spirit. When you wait on the Lord, God imparts strength directly into your spirit (Ephesians 3:16). Grace reminds us: You are not alone; the Helper (Holy Spirit) lives in you.
4. “Wait, I say, on the LORD.” = Stay in God’s Timing – The repetition is for emphasis. Under grace, this is a call to remain in God’s rest (Hebrews 4:11), trusting His perfect timing. You don’t have to rush, push, or panic. Just stay aligned with Jesus, and everything will unfold as it should.
We are encouraged to have patience and courage in waiting for God’s guidance and strength, even during challenging times. It emphasizes trusting in God’s timing and promises.
This command is given to us because God knows that it’s not easy for us to wait, especially if we have already had to do so for an extended period.
Most of us would prefer quick, efficient, and, when possible, instant results and answers.
But waiting is a part of life.
We must wait for seeds to grow into food, for one season to fade into the next, for babies to mature into adults, and for trees to stand tall enough to finally offer shade.
Like it or not, waiting takes patience.
We can wait days, months, years, or even decades for a prayer to be answered, for an overdue apology, for the timing to be right, or for a dream to finally come to pass.
Waiting requires courage.
King David lived nearly 3,000 years ago, but he knew what it meant to wait for God’s timing, to wait to be king, to wait to be rescued from his enemies. He wrote:
“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
Psalms 27:14 NLT
If David thought waiting on God was important enough to write it twice in one verse, we should probably pay attention.
But waiting patiently for the Lord isn’t an excuse to do nothing.
We can proactively wait on God by staying in communication with Him, by looking for His fingerprints in ordinary moments, by reading about His story and His plans in His Word, by worshiping Him no matter what’s happening across the globe, by serving the people both inside and outside of our circles, and by thanking Him for the gifts He’s already given us.
Just because a specific door isn’t opening, or a particular opportunity isn’t available at this moment doesn’t mean that God isn’t moving.
Even when we are waiting, God is working.
Noah spent decades building an ark as he waited for God to do what He’d said. Ruth journeyed with her mother-in-law and worked in the grain fields while trusting in God’s provision after her husband’s death. Joseph stayed faithful in prison for several years before his promotion to second-in-command of Egypt. John trusted God’s ultimate will for his life, and wrote several books of the New Testament while sentenced to exile on the island of Patmos.
So, no matter what you are facing, you can ask God for patience and trust that He is in control of your future. No matter what uncertainty lies before you, when you rely on the Lord, you can be someone who waits well.
Psalm 27:14, under grace, means: “Stay confident in God’s love and timing. Be bold, knowing that your strength doesn’t come from your own effort but from His Spirit within you. Keep trusting: God is faithful, and His grace will carry you through.” Even when we are waiting, God is working. Amen.
