Isaiah 40:29 Meaning and Explanation
“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →There are seasons when the smallest task feels like too much, when you wake already tired and wonder where you will find the strength to keep going. Maybe the days have run together, and what once came easily now drains you. This verse reaches into exactly that emptiness. It speaks to the faint and to those who feel they have nothing left, and it makes a quiet, steady promise. God Himself gives the power you cannot summon on your own.
God gives His strength precisely to those who have run all the way out.
The Context of Isaiah 40:29
Part of Isaiah 40, a chapter of comfort that has just exalted God as the tireless Creator who does not faint (verse 28). This verse turns that limitless strength toward the weary.
What Does Isaiah 40:29 Mean?
The verse just before this one declares that God Himself 'fainteth not, neither is weary.' Now that very tirelessness is turned toward us, and notice where it goes. It is given 'to the faint,' and increased for 'them that have no might.' God does not wait for us to gather ourselves first. The emptier we are, the more there is for Him to fill. Earthly strength flows toward the already strong; here strength flows in the opposite direction, downhill toward the worn out and the used up. The faint are exactly the ones this promise is for, their emptiness their very qualification.
This is the same grace Paul learned when Jesus told him, 'my strength is made perfect in weakness' (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Christ who was Himself wearied at a well (John 4:6) is the giver of a strength that does not run dry. When we have nothing left, we are right where His help is aimed. He delights to pour power into empty hands.
Isaiah 40:29 in the Original Language
koach (כֹּחַ), 'power' -- strength, ability, the capacity to act, here given as a gift to those who have none of it left.
How to Apply Isaiah 40:29 Today
When we are spent and have nothing left to give, this verse meets us exactly there. God power flows to the faint and the powerless. We do not have to manufacture strength before we come to Him. We come empty, and that is precisely what He fills.
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaiah 40:29
What does Isaiah 40:29 mean?
God gives His strength precisely to those who have run all the way out.
What is the context of Isaiah 40:29?
Part of Isaiah 40, a chapter of comfort that has just exalted God as the tireless Creator who does not faint (verse 28). This verse turns that limitless strength toward the weary.
How can I apply Isaiah 40:29 today?
When we are spent and have nothing left to give, this verse meets us exactly there. God power flows to the faint and the powerless. We do not have to manufacture strength before we come to Him. We come empty, and that is precisely what He fills.
Reflection & Prayer
Notice where God meets you in this verse. He comes to you in the very place of fainting and weakness, before you have recovered anything. He does not scold the weary for being weary. He gives. He increases. The strength you need is His to supply, and He delights to pour it out where there is none left. So bring Him your emptiness today, honestly and without shame, and let Him carry what you cannot. Father, I come to You faint and low on strength. Give me Your power today, and increase what little I have, that I may walk on by Your grace. Amen.