Psalms 39:7

KJV

¶ And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope [is] in thee.

KJV (with Strong's)

And now, Lord {H136}, what wait {H6960} I for? my hope {H8431} is in thee.

Complete Jewish Bible

Now, Adonai, what am I waiting for? You are my only hope.

Berean Standard Bible

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.

American Standard Version

And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalm 39:7 marks a profound pivot in the psalmist's lament, transitioning from a deep meditation on the brevity and inherent futility of human life and earthly pursuits to a resolute declaration of absolute trust and expectation in God alone. After confronting the transient nature of existence and the emptiness of worldly striving, David's rhetorical question, "And now, Lord, what wait I for?", serves to underscore that all other avenues of hope have proven vain, culminating in the triumphant affirmation, "my hope is in thee." This verse powerfully encapsulates the universal human search for ultimate meaning and stability, finding its singular, unwavering anchor in the divine.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 39 is a "Michtam of David," a psalm characterized by deep personal introspection and lament, often associated with a period of intense suffering or spiritual struggle. The preceding verses ([Psalm 39:1-6](/psalms/39-1-6 "Psalm 39:1-6 - The Psalmist's Lament on Human Frailty")) establish a somber tone, as the psalmist grapples with the fleeting nature of human life and the vanity of earthly endeavors. He initially imposes silence upon himself ([Psalm 39:1-2](/psalms/39-1-2 "Psalm 39:1-2 - The Psalmist's Silence")) to avoid speaking rashly, but his internal anguish eventually erupts. He observes that humanity, even in its most fervent striving, is but a "mere breath" and its accumulated wealth "vanity" ([Psalm 39:5](/psalms/39-5 "Psalm 39:5 - Man is a mere breath")). It is against this backdrop of existential angst, an acute awareness of human frailty, and the perceived purposelessness of life apart from God, that the psalmist's cry in [Psalm 39:7](/psalms/39-7 "Psalm 39:7 - My Hope is in Thee") emerges as a dramatic turning point, shifting from despair over human limitations to a profound realization that true solace and expectation are found exclusively in the Lord.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the specific historical occasion for Psalm 39 is not explicitly stated, Davidic psalms frequently arise from periods of personal affliction, national distress, or profound spiritual introspection. In ancient Israel, suffering was often interpreted through a covenantal lens, sometimes linked to sin or divine discipline, prompting individuals to wrestle with their circumstances before God. The cultural milieu emphasized a communal understanding of faith, yet psalms like this reveal deeply personal struggles of faith and doubt. The psalmist's lament reflects a common human experience of grappling with mortality and the transient nature of earthly existence, a theme prevalent in wisdom literature (e.g., [Ecclesiastes 1](/ecclesiastes/1 "Ecclesiastes 1 - The Vanity of Life")). Within this worldview, God was understood as the ultimate sovereign and the singular source of all blessing, justice, and enduring hope, making the psalmist's turning to Him a culturally and theologically consistent response to the perceived futility of life.
* **Key Themes:** The central theme of [Psalm 39:7](/psalms/39-7 "Psalm 39:7 - My Hope is in Thee") is the profound shift from human despair to divine hope. After lamenting the brevity and ultimate futility of human life and earthly pursuits, the psalmist redirects his entire focus to God as the sole object of his expectation. This highlights the theme of **Divine Sovereignty and Trust**, asserting that in a world of fleeting ambitions and disappointments, God alone provides steadfast hope and an unchanging anchor. It also underscores the **Vanity of Earthly Pursuits** when divorced from a divine perspective, echoing sentiments found throughout [Ecclesiastes](/ecclesiastes/1 "Ecclesiastes 1 - The Vanity of Life"). The verse powerfully encapsulates the **Transformative Power of Faith**, demonstrating how a soul can move from existential angst to a confident declaration of reliance on the faithful Lord, recognizing that true meaning and lasting security are found only in Him, not in the ephemeral realities of human existence.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Lord (Hebrew, _ʼĂdônây'_):** This title, used here, is an emphatic form signifying God as the sovereign Master, emphasizing His absolute authority, ownership, and rightful claim to the psalmist's complete trust and devotion. It is a term of respect and submission, acknowledging God's ultimate power and control over all things, including the very brevity of human life that the psalmist has been lamenting. The use of _ʼĂdônây_ here underscores the psalmist's recognition of God as the one true, reliable authority in a world of uncertainty.
* **wait (Hebrew, _qâvâh'_):** This primitive root means "to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect." It implies a patient, active looking or tarrying, a binding of oneself to an expectation. The psalmist's rhetorical question, "what wait I for?", uses this word to dismiss all other objects of expectation as unworthy, thereby intensifying the subsequent declaration of where his true, bound-together hope lies.
* **hope (Hebrew, _tôwcheleth'_):** Derived from the root meaning "to expect," _tôwcheleth_ denotes a confident expectation or firm anticipation, rather than a mere wish or vague longing. It signifies a secure reliance, an assured future. This is not a passive desire but an active, grounded expectation rooted in God's unchanging character, His faithfulness, and His promises. The psalmist's hope is thus depicted as an unbreakable connection, firmly anchored in God.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And now, Lord":** This phrase marks a dramatic and decisive turning point in the psalmist's prayer. The preceding verses have been filled with lament, introspection, and a profound sense of human frailty and futility. The "And now" signals a shift from horizontal contemplation of human existence to a vertical orientation, directly addressing God. It indicates a moment of revelation or decision, where the psalmist, having exhausted all other possibilities or found them wanting, turns his gaze entirely to the divine. The address "Lord" (_ʼĂdônây_) reinforces this shift to a posture of submission and recognition of God's ultimate authority.
* **"what wait I for?":** This is a rhetorical question, not an expression of genuine ignorance or confusion, but rather a powerful affirmation. Having surveyed the landscape of human striving and found it to be "vanity" and "a mere breath" ([Psalm 39:5-6](/psalms/39-5-6 "Psalm 39:5-6 - Man's Brevity and Vanity")), the psalmist implicitly declares that there is nothing else on earth worthy of his ultimate expectation or hope. It serves to dismiss all earthly alternatives as insufficient and fleeting, thereby clearing the ground for the subsequent declaration. It is a question that leads to a singular, undeniable answer.
* **"my hope [is] in thee":** This is the climactic declaration, the direct and unequivocal answer to the rhetorical question. Having dismissed all other objects of expectation, the psalmist firmly places his entire trust, confidence, and future anticipation in God alone. The emphasis is on "thee" (God), signifying that God is the exclusive and ultimate source of true hope. This hope is not based on human strength, worldly possessions, or fleeting achievements, but solely on the unchanging character, power, and faithfulness of the divine. It is a declaration of absolute reliance and spiritual security.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 39:7 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is the **Rhetorical Question**, "what wait I for?", which serves not to solicit information but to emphasize the psalmist's conclusion that all earthly pursuits are ultimately vain and unworthy of ultimate hope. This question powerfully sets up the subsequent, definitive answer. Coupled with this is **Apostrophe**, the direct address to "Lord," signifying a personal, intimate turning to God after a period of internal struggle and outward observation. The verse also features stark **Contrast**, juxtaposing the futility and transience of human life described in the preceding verses with the steadfast, eternal nature of God, who is the sole object of enduring hope. The entire verse functions as a **Climax** within the psalm's narrative of lament, marking the pivotal moment of transition from despair to a confident declaration of faith, thereby providing a spiritual turning point and resolution to the psalmist's existential crisis.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 39:7 stands as a powerful testament to the biblical understanding of hope, not as a mere optimistic wish, but as a confident, assured expectation rooted in the character and promises of God. It underscores the theological truth that human beings, created with an innate longing for eternity, will ultimately find all earthly pursuits unsatisfying when divorced from their Creator. The psalmist's journey from lamenting the brevity of life to declaring his hope in God reflects a foundational biblical theme: that true security and meaning are found only in a relationship with the sovereign Lord. This verse affirms God as the ultimate anchor in a world of flux, the steadfast object of trust when all else proves fleeting. It points to God's faithfulness and immutability as the very ground of our hope, inviting believers across generations to reorient their expectations from the temporal to the eternal.

* [Romans 15:13](/romans/15-13 "Romans 15:13 - God of Hope")
* [Psalm 62:5](/psalms/62-5 "Psalm 62:5 - My Soul Waits for God Alone")
* [Hebrews 11:1](/hebrews/11-1 "Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the Assurance of Things Hoped For")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 39:7 offers a timeless and profoundly relevant lesson for believers navigating the complexities of modern life. In a world that constantly bombards us with messages to place our confidence in wealth, status, fleeting pleasures, or personal achievements, this verse serves as a radical redirection. When confronted with the inevitable uncertainties of life, the brevity of our own existence, or the crumbling of our carefully laid plans, David's rhetorical question, "And now, Lord, what wait I for?", compels us to deeply examine the true objects of our expectation. Is our hope anchored in the shifting sands of human endeavor, or in the unchanging, faithful Lord? This verse calls us to a regular, honest re-evaluation of where our ultimate confidence lies, reminding us that only a hope firmly rooted in God provides true stability, peace, and enduring purpose. It encourages us to cultivate a posture of active reliance on God, recognizing that even when all else fails, the God of hope remains our steadfast refuge and ultimate fulfillment.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you find yourself placing hope in things other than God, and how does this verse challenge those misplaced expectations?**
* **How does recognizing the "brevity" and "vanity" of human life (as described in the preceding verses) deepen your appreciation for placing your hope in God?**
* **What practical steps can you take this week to intentionally re-anchor your hope in the Lord, especially amidst personal challenges or global uncertainties?**

### FAQ
**Why does the psalmist ask "what wait I for?" if his hope is clearly in God?**

Answer: The psalmist's question, "what wait I for?", is a rhetorical device, not an expression of genuine confusion or a search for an answer. Instead, it serves as a powerful affirmation and a dramatic setup for the subsequent declaration. Having just lamented the fleeting nature of human life and the ultimate vanity of earthly pursuits (as seen in [Psalm 39:4-6](/psalms/39-4-6 "Psalm 39:4-6 - Man's Brevity and Vanity")), the psalmist has surveyed all possible sources of hope and found them wanting. The question, therefore, functions to emphatically dismiss all other earthly expectations as insufficient and ultimately futile. It clears the ground, so to speak, for the singular, profound truth that follows: "my hope is in thee." It highlights that after exhausting all other avenues, God remains the only reliable and worthy object of ultimate expectation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 39:7 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The psalmist's turning from the vanity of human existence to place his hope in the Lord foreshadows the New Covenant reality where Christ Himself becomes the very embodiment and ground of our hope. While the psalmist looked to the sovereign God of Israel, believers now understand that this God has fully revealed Himself in the person of Jesus. In Christ, the transient nature of human life is transcended by the promise of eternal life, and the futility of earthly striving is redeemed by a purpose found in Him. The "hope" (_tôwcheleth_) that the psalmist yearned for is no longer an abstract concept but a living reality, for Christ is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" ([Colossians 1:27](/colossians/1-27 "Colossians 1:27 - Christ in You, the Hope of Glory")). His resurrection from the dead provides the unshakeable foundation for a "living hope" ([1 Peter 1:3](/1_peter/1-3 "1 Peter 1:3 - Living Hope Through Resurrection")), demonstrating God's ultimate victory over sin, death, and the very brevity of life that troubled the psalmist. Therefore, for the Christian, the answer to "what wait I for?" is unequivocally the "blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" ([Titus 2:13](/titus/2-13 "Titus 2:13 - Blessed Hope")), in whom all our expectations are perfectly met and eternally secured.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Romans 15:13

¶ 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.

Psalms 38:15

For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

Psalms 119:81

¶ CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: [but] I hope in thy word.

Psalms 119:166

¶ LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.

Genesis 49:18

I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

Job 13:15

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Psalms 130:5

¶ I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.