Weekly Devotion
November 23, 2025

Trust part 3

Trust – A Hebrew Word

What does the Old Testament have to say about trust? One resource I looked at commented that the one English word we use – “trust” – is an abstract concept, while the five Hebrew words used in the Old Testament for “trust” are more concrete, tangible ideas. The visuals include leaning on or clinging to someone or something, knowing the strong support of the arm of God, the solid ground that we anchor to. This brings to the imagination stormy, chaotic surroundings, holding for dear life to something solid and dependable.

This devotional is not the place to dive-in to every instance, so I will just mention בָּטח (batach) that we find, for example, in Psalm 9:9,10 “The Lord is … a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.” This word expresses the idea of fully leaning on God, knowing He is able to save and rescue.

Think of Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18 & 19. In 18:5&6, we are told “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel… he remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed … the Lord.” When threatened by a powerful enemy in chapter 19, Hezekiah first wobbled and tried paying the demands of the Assyrian king. Logically, turning to a God he couldn’t see in an impossible situation didn’t make sense. But then he remembered – he went to God in prayer, acknowledging and reminding himself of God’s sovereignty and power. “Now, O Lord our God, rescue us…” He came to cling to his strong Saviour and King. And boy, did God come through for him!

And interestingly, many of the instances of the word appear in the Psalms. It would seem that trust is an important part of worship! To truly say to someone, “I trust you” is a big deal. Psalm 13:5 “But I trust in Your unfailing love,…”

Here is the summary from Strong’s concordance of בָּטח (batach):

בָּטח encompasses the total surrender of one’s security, future, and identity to a trustworthy God. Scripture presents this trust as the heartbeat of covenant life, the foundation of ethical obedience, and the antidote to idolatry.

May we daily be leaners and clingers! 😊

Written by
Naomi Warkentin