Waiting is one of the hardest things for me to do. I would rather work than wait. Somehow I always end up in the wrong lane or the wrong line, and I’m forced to wait. My impatience is probably why the Lord reminds me of verse 20: “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.” Why does God delay in answering prayer? He wants to give us a better blessing. Why does God delay in bringing deliverance or healing? He has something better in store for us. Our times are in His hands.

We must remember that when we wait on the Lord, we are not being idle or careless. Waiting prepares us. God works in us so that He can work for us. He knows what He is doing and has His own schedule. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some [people] count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9).

–  Warren W. Wiersbe, Prayer, Praise & Promises: A Daily Walk through the Psalms, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011), 81.