Daily Reading: (Proverbs 13:12, Psalm 71:14)
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
What you will find in the word study is that there are a lot of the Scripture verses about hope that come before the cross (I only selected a small sample here of 3 and there are also a lot of verses about hope that come after it too but what is different is our understanding of hope and even the definition of hope itself changes after the cross. So, hope is found 167 times in the Bible in 159 different verses. 86 times in 83 verses in the Old Testament and 81 times in 76 verses in the New Testament.
The New Testament word for hope (elpis)
1. expectation of good, hope
2. joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation
3. on hope, in hope, having hope: the author of hope, or he who is its foundation, the thing hoped for
Misplaced hope will make you sick but “the thing” desired (think New Testament definition of hope) brought to pass is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).
Where else do we see tree of life in the Bible? The Garden of Eden of Genesis 2:9 and also the paradise of God in Revelation 2:7:
David’s hope lead to praise God (Psalm 71:14).
This type of hope yachal means to wait for, hope, expect and it is experiential hope based upon the previous actions of God. “I found refuge in God” (verse seven). David’s enemies had him in a position where his only hope to be found was in God and out of these times he came to know God as His refuge, his rock, and his fortress (3-4). In his deepest despair and grieving for the loss of His son David would find that God is his refuge, God is his rock, and fortress.
Place your hope in your situation and your heart will become sick (Proverbs 13:12). Place your hope in the provisions of God [Christ Jesus] and your heart will sing God’s praises (Psalm 71:14).