“And hope maketh not ashamed…” (Romans 5:5).
“Ashamed” is kataischúno, “from kata, denoting ill, and aischúno, to shame, to confound, dishonor, disgrace” (Complete Word Study Bible). It is “to frustrate, disappoint” (Mounce). It is translated “confound” (1 Co. 1:27), “dishonor” (1 Co. 11:4, 5), and “shame” (1 Co. 11:22).
No individual who trusts in God through Jesus Christ will be ashamed or confounded or disappointed or disgraced.
Paul, who experienced great trouble, said, ‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day’ (2 Ti. 1:12).
Christ, through the psalmist, said, “Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded” (Ps. 22:4-5).
The Word of God says, “for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me” (Isa. 49:23). Speaking of the true Israel, the Israel that has genuine faith in God, the prophet says, “But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end” (Isa. 45:17).
In every situation, historically, when God’s people trusted Him in trials, they were not ashamed. Joshua was not ashamed when he trusted God to defeat the mighty Canaanite nations. Hannah was not ashamed when she cast herself upon God in her barren condition and trusted Him for a son. Deborah and Gideon were not ashamed when they trusted God to deliver Israel from the Canaanites and the Midianites. David was not ashamed when he trusted God to defeat Goliath. Hezekiah was not ashamed when he trusted God to protect Israel from the Assyrian king Sennacherib.
