Tikvah is the Hebrew word most often translated as hope, but it’s not just any hope—it’s a deep, enduring hope that anchors the soul and perseveres through trials. It’s a hope that looks forward with confidence, trusting in a future promise. It’s an expectant hope.

This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially in the Psalms, where it signifies a hopeful expectation of God’s deliverance. We see it in Psalm 71:5 “For you, O Lord, are my hope (Tikvah), my trust, O Lord, from my youth.” It’s the kind of hope that holds steady even in times of uncertainty, much like when the Israelites waited for God's salvation. In a way, Tikvah is hope with purpose—it’s active and patient, knowing that what is hoped for will come to pass. 

In Jeremiah 29:11, God promises His people, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a Tikvah, a future and a hope.” It’s a reminder that Tikvah is not passive—it’s a powerful force that guides us through life's challenges, assuring us that there is always light ahead, even in the darkest moments. The best New Testament example of this kind of hope is found in Luke 2:25-35, when Jesus is presented as a baby at the Temple and Simeon took the child praising God. Simeon expressed this same expectant hope described by Hebrew word Tikvah. He had apparently been waiting all his life to see the Christ, and his hope was fulfilled.

What About You?:

Can you think of a time when you held onto Tikvah in your life, even when things seemed bleak? Or maybe a time when someone else’s hope inspired you to keep going?