Psalm 31:24
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Psalm 31 moves through deep distress, betrayal, and trust before closing with this exhortation. Verse 24 broadens David's personal lesson into encouragement for all the faithful.
What Does Psalm 31:24 Mean?
This verse calls everyone who hopes in the Lord to take courage, promising that God will strengthen the heart. It is the closing word of a psalm full of distress and pleading, and David turns from his own struggle to encourage the whole community of the faithful. What he has learned through trouble he now hands on to others.
The command "be of good courage" is paired with a promise: "he shall strengthen your heart." The believer is asked to choose courage, and God meets that choice by supplying inner strength. The two work together rather than one replacing the other. The verse is addressed to a specific group -- "all ye that hope in the LORD." Hope is the qualifying mark; it is those who keep their expectation fixed on God who are invited to be brave. After verses describing reproach, fear, and feeling "like a broken vessel," this ending lifts the reader's eyes. Courage is possible not because circumstances have improved but because the Lord can be trusted. For anyone weary in a long hardship, the verse is a steadying hand: take heart, keep hoping, and God will strengthen you from within.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew chazaq ("strengthen") means to make firm or strong, and yachal ("hope") conveys waiting with expectation and trust.
Cross References
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
- Psalm 27:14
“O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.”
- Psalm 31:23
“Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;”
- Psalm 33:18
Application
When hardship drags on, anchor your expectation in God and choose courage, trusting him to supply the inner strength your heart needs.