The concept of yearning in the Bible often reflects a deep, intense longing or desire, typically for God, His presence, or His righteousness. This yearning is a fundamental aspect of the human experience as depicted in Scripture, illustrating the soul's innate desire for communion with its Creator.

Yearning for God

The Psalms frequently express a profound yearning for God, portraying the psalmists' deep desire to be in His presence. Psalm 42:1-2 beautifully captures this sentiment: "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?" This imagery of a deer panting for water illustrates an intense, life-sustaining need for God, emphasizing that just as water is essential for physical survival, God's presence is essential for spiritual vitality.

Similarly, Psalm 63:1 states, "O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You, my body yearns for You, in a dry and weary land without water." Here, the psalmist expresses a deep yearning for God amidst a barren and desolate environment, underscoring the soul's dependence on divine fellowship.

Yearning for Righteousness

Yearning in the biblical context also extends to a desire for righteousness and holiness. In Matthew 5:6 , Jesus declares, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." This beatitude highlights the blessedness of those who earnestly desire to live in accordance with God's will, promising that such a yearning will be satisfied by God Himself.

The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in his epistles, expressing a longing for spiritual growth and maturity. In Philippians 3:10-11 , Paul writes, "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Paul's yearning is not only for personal transformation but also for a deeper, more intimate knowledge of Christ.

Yearning for Redemption and Restoration

The Bible also speaks of a collective yearning for redemption and the ultimate restoration of creation. In Romans 8:22-23 , Paul describes this universal longing: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." This passage reflects the anticipation and yearning for the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, a hope shared by all of creation.

Yearning in the Prophets

The prophetic books of the Old Testament also convey a yearning for God's intervention and the establishment of His kingdom. The prophet Isaiah, for instance, expresses a longing for God's deliverance and justice. Isaiah 26:8-9 states, "Yes, we wait for You, O LORD; we walk in the path of Your judgments. Your name and renown are the desire of our souls. My soul yearns for You in the night; my spirit within me diligently seeks You." This yearning is both personal and communal, reflecting a deep desire for God's righteous rule.

Conclusion

In summary, the theme of yearning in the Bible encompasses a deep, spiritual longing for God, His righteousness, and the fulfillment of His promises. This yearning is a testament to the soul's intrinsic desire for divine connection and the hope of ultimate redemption.1937. epithumeo -- desire, lust after
... from 1909 , "focused " intensifying 2372 , "passionate desire") -- properly, to
show as it aptly builds on (Gk , "upon") what a person truly yearns for; to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1937.htm - 8k3642. kamah -- to faint
... to faint. Transliteration: kamah Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-mah) Short Definition:
yearns. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to faint NASB Word Usage yearns (1). ...
/hebrew/3642.htm - 5k

1993. hamah -- to murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
... uproar (2), making such an uproar (1), mourning (1), murmur (1), noisy (1), pounding
(1), roar (5), roar like the roaring (1), roars (2), wails (2), yearns (1 ...
/hebrew/1993.htm - 6k

Question of the Contemplative Life
... For this reason S. Gregory[317] makes the contemplative life consist in the love
of God, since from love of God a man yearns to look upon His beauty. ...
/.../on prayer and the contemplative life/question clxxx of the contemplative.htm

Come and Welcome
... I am longing to see sinners brought to Christ, my heart yearns after the multitude
of men who see no beauty in him that they should desire him. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/come and welcome.htm

True Hearing
... When God sees that we are indeed His son, He yearns after us, and in the depth of
His Divine Being waves of longing break forth, to reveal to us the abyss of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/eckhart/meister eckharts sermons/iv true hearing.htm

The Privilege of Prayer
... What can the angels of heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject
to temptation, when God's heart of infinite love yearns toward them, ready ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 11 the privilege of.htm

Jesus' Conditions of Friendship.
... unto thee; thou shalt take Of that communion through the solemn depths Of the dark
waters of thine agony, With heart that praises him, that yearns to him The ...
/.../miller/personal friendships of jesus/chapter iv jesus conditions of.htm

Repentance,
... Your heart yearns over him every day; you pray for him night and day; you dream
of him by night; your bowels yearn over your son, and you say, with David ...
//christianbookshelf.org/booth/godliness/chapter i repentance.htm

Certain Other Divine Precepts the Apostolic Description of Charity ...
... which makes it lawful, whether for husband or wife, to persist in the perpetual
observance of widowhood), [9141] she [9142] waits for, she yearns for, she ...
/.../tertullian/of patience/chapter xii certain other divine precepts.htm

Daily Bread
... A mother would convey to her little daughter some full sense of the motherly
feeling that yearns within her, but how can it be done? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/merriam/the chief end of man/v daily bread.htm

Joseph
... corn, and how they find him lord of all the land"how subtilly he tries them to see
if they have repented of their old sin"how his heart yearns over them in ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon vii joseph.htm

The Wine of Prayer
... My heart longs, yea yearns, for that nearness to God in prayer that will draw out
my soul in mighty petitions for others, especially for the suffering and the ...
/.../berry/adventures in the land of canaan/chapter twelve the wine of.htm

Yearns (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Yearns (8 Occurrences). ... James 4:5 Or do you think that
the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously"? ...
/y/yearns.htm - 8k

Third (192 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:32 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over
this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with ...
/t/third.htm - 39k

Year-old (6 Occurrences)
Year-old. Yearns, Year-old. Years . Multi-Version Concordance Year-old (6
Occurrences). ... (See NIV). Yearns, Year-old. Years . Reference Bible.
/y/year-old.htm - 8k

Yearnings (1 Occurrence)

/y/yearnings.htm - 6k

Unwilling (30 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:32 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over
this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with ...
/u/unwilling.htm - 14k

Jealously (1 Occurrence)
... Jealously (1 Occurrence). James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain,
"The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously"? (WEB WEY NAS RSV). ...
/j/jealously.htm - 6k

Road (155 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:32 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over
this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with ...
/r/road.htm - 37k

Darling (13 Occurrences)
... for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore
my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, says Yahweh. ...
/d/darling.htm - 10k

Mass (65 Occurrences)
... Matthew 15:32 But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over
this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with ...
/m/mass.htm - 27k

Caused (468 Occurrences)
... James 4:5 Or do you suppose that it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "The
Spirit which He has caused to dwell in our hearts yearns jealously over us"? ...
/c/caused.htm - 37k

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