Scriptures About Hope
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19a (NIV)
Hope is eager anticipation and expectation for something we desire that we don’t have yet. Hope is important in life because it can keep us stable and secure in an ever-changing and volatile world. The Bible says that hope is an anchor for our soul. Here we have a mental picture of an anchor holding a boat secure. Because of the anchor, it will not float away, get off course, or wreck.
Similarly, this is what hope does for us. It holds us and anchors us to be steadfast so that we don’t drift away or wreck, especially during the storms of life. When chaos surrounds us, hope holds us steady. Hope also helps us in the waiting process. The words “wait,” “wait confidently,” or “wait patiently” often go synonymously with “hope” throughout scripture. Sometimes the words interchange from translation to translation.
We can get our hope from God, his son Jesus, his Spirit, and his word (the Bible). The Lord will be our encourager and will give us hope. God’s word, the Bible, gives us hope through what we read, the examples we see, and through the promises contained therein. Additionally, we should put our hope IN God. We can see examples of this and encouragement to do this throughout scripture. This is especially prevalent in David proclaiming this throughout the Psalms.
Because hope will be an important component of a healthy relationship with God and others, I’ve put together a reference or resource page with some helpful scriptures about hope.
Sources of hope (the Lord, God’s word/Bible, Jesus, the Holy Spirit)
“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5 (NIV)
“You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.” Psalm 119:114 (NLT)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“And his name will be the hope of all the world.” Matthew 12:21 (NLT)
“Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5 (NIV)
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (NIV)
“I say this because our hope of being right with God comes through faith. And the Spirit helps us feel sure as we wait for that hope.” Galatians 5:5 (ERV)
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)
“This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.” 1 Timothy 1:1 (NLT)
Be steadfast in hope, hope when there’s no reason to hope
“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”” Romans 4:18 (NLT)
“Our great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end, so that the things you hope for will come true.” Hebrews 6:11 (GNT)
“Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]” Hebrews 10:23 (AMP)
Put your hope in God
“I put my hope in You, LORD; You will answer, Lord my God.” Psalm 38:15 (HCSB)
“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7 (NLT)
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5 (NIV) (Psalm 42:11, Psalm 43:5)
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” Psalm 62:5 (NLT)
“O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O LORD, from childhood.” Psalm 71:5 (NLT)
“So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.” Psalm 78:7 (NLT)
“Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.” Psalm 130:7 (NIV)
“But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God.” Psalm 146:5 (NLT)
“But the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.” Psalm 147:11 (ESV)
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”” Lamentations 3:21-24 (ESV)
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7 (NIV)
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 (NIV)
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)
“But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” Hebrews 3:6 (NLT)
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)
“And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. This is why you have put your faith and hope in God.” 1 Peter 1:21 (CEV)
“All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3 (NIV)
Put your hope in God’s Word and his promises
“I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:81 (NLT)
“I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.” Psalm 130:5 (NLT)
“You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.” Psalm 119:114 (NLT)
Waiting with hope, hope for the future
“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:18 (NIV)
“Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 24:14 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)” Romans 8:23-25 (NLT)
“For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.” Ephesians 4:4 (NLT)
We have hope of eternal life
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” Titus 1:2 (KJV)
“So that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7 (NIV)
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
Faith, hope, and love
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
“Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel” Colossians 1:4-5 (NIV)
Hope will keep you steady and secure
“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.” Hebrews 6:18-19 (NLT)
Joy from hope
“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” Proverbs 10:28 (ESV)
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 (NIV)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NLT)
Strength from hope
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV)
Boldness & courage from hope
“Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.” Job 11:18 (NLT)
“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” 2 Corinthians 3:12 (NIV)
Hope can open doors to share the gospel
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
Losing hope is heartbreaking
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 (ESV)
Take Some Practical Steps to Use Scriptures About Hope:
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First, find a few scriptures that you can use when need hope.
Pick from the list above, or look for verses that more specifically fit your situation.
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Then, write them on index cards or post-it notes. Post them where you can see them to help you and remind you.
For example put them on the bathroom mirror, the nightstand, on doors, over light switches, on cabinet doors, on your car console, or anywhere where you might need encouragement. You can also save them on your phone as a wallpaper or home screen for a visible reminder when you use your phone.
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Finally, speak the scriptures out loud and remind God (and yourself) of His promises.
Speaking God’s Word will help build your faith, strengthen your hope, and encourage you. (Here is an example of a scripture-based prayer for lost hope.)
Which scriptures about hope are most helpful for you? How does hope help you? Share with us by leaving a comment below!
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