Hope — Meaning in the Bible
Confident expectation of good from God. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking but trust that God will keep his promises.
What it means
In the psalms people put their hope in God when everything around them is dark. Lamentations finds hope in God's faithfulness even after Jerusalem's destruction. Psalm 42:5Psalm 130:5–7Lamentations 3:21–24
The New Testament grounds hope in Jesus' resurrection and the promises still to come. Paul lists hope with faith and love. 1 Peter 1:3Romans 5:3–5Romans 8:24–251 Corinthians 13:13
Key passages
- Psalm 42:5 — "Hope in God!"
- Lamentations 3:21–24 — Hope in his faithfulness.
- Jeremiah 29:11 — Plans to give you hope and a future (spoken to the exiles).
- Romans 5:3–5 — Hope does not disappoint.
- 1 Peter 1:3–5 — A living hope.
Original language
ἐλπίς elpis
Greek · Strong’s G1680 · gloss: “hope”
The Greek word for hope. Romans 5:41 Corinthians 13:13
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
For children
Hope means waiting for something good because you trust God. Even in hard times, the Bible says we can hope in God. Psalm 42:5
Study further
- Psalms 42–43 Hope in sorrow.
- Lamentations 3:19–33 Hope after disaster.
- Romans 8:18–25 Hope for creation.