“Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.””
In plain words: Tell the people who are worried and scared to be strong and not to be afraid, because their God is coming to rescue them and to put wrong things right.
What Isaiah 35:4 means.
God tells His people to say to the fearful: be strong, don’t fear, your God will come. Hope is something we speak to each other.
Common questions about Isaiah 35:4
Why does a comforting verse talk about vengeance and retribution?
Those words sound harsh, but look at who the verse is for. God's people were being crushed by powerful enemies, and nobody was making things right. Vengeance here means God stepping in to fix what is broken and to deal with evil. It is good news for people who have been hurt. The verse ends by saying He comes to save you. So the message is not that God is angry at the anxious. It is that He is on their side and He is coming (Isaiah 35:4).
Apply it today: Name one thing that feels unfair or out of control, and tell God about it in your own words.
Does this mean it is wrong to feel afraid?
No. The verse speaks to people who already have anxious hearts, and it does not scold them. Fear is a normal human feeling. What the verse gives is a reason not to be ruled by it: your God is coming. Being strong here does not mean being tough on your own. It means leaning on the One who is on His way to help. David wrote that when he was afraid, he put his trust in God (Psalm 56:3). If worry ever feels too heavy to carry, talking with a doctor or counselor is a wise step too.
Apply it today: Say out loud one worry, then say, God, I am putting my trust in You with this.
Who is supposed to say these words, and who is supposed to hear them?
The verse begins with a command to say something to those with anxious hearts. So the people who know this hope are meant to pass it on. Nobody is told to fix a scared person's problems. They are told to speak courage and point to God. That is why Become's note says hope is something we speak to each other. Anyone can do this: a friend, a parent, a neighbor. A short, kind word can lift a heavy heart. Paul also tells believers to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Apply it today: Send a short, kind message to someone who seems worried, and tell them you are thinking of them.
Ask anything about it.
Every question gets a clear answer in seconds, and a way to live it today.
Live it today.
Say this verse to someone else who’s anxious today. Then say it to yourself.
Pray it back.
God, You are coming to save. Make me strong and fearless today.
Carry it all day.
Put today’s verse on your lock screen, so every time you pick up your phone, the Word is the first thing you see.
On iPhone: open the image, tap Share, then Use as Wallpaper. On Android: open it and set it as your lock screen.
One verse every morning at 7 a.m. your time. Leave any time.