Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!
Parallel Translations
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Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!
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Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Cross-references (16)
Passages linked to Psalms 107:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 107:31 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!
- Psalms 147:1 Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
- Daniel 4:2-3 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked toward me. How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation.
- Psalms 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, his strength, and his wondrous deeds that he has done.
- Psalms 107:15 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!
- Psalms 107:21 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!
- Daniel 6:27 He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
- Deuteronomy 32:29 Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
- Psalms 34:3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me. Let’s exalt his name together.
- Psalms 92:1-2 It is a good thing to give thanks to Yahweh, to sing praises to your name, Most High, to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning, and your faithfulness every night,
- Psalms 111:4 He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered. Yahweh is gracious and merciful.
- Psalms 81:13-16 Oh that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries. The haters of Yahweh would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But he would have also fed them with the finest of the wheat. I will satisfy you with honey out of the rock.”
- Isaiah 48:18 Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
- Isaiah 63:7 I will tell of the loving kindnesses of Yahweh and the praises of Yahweh, according to all that Yahweh has given to us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has given to them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
- Deuteronomy 5:29 Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
- Psalms 40:5 Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be counted.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 107:8 Oh that [men] would praise the LORD…
Psa 107:8 Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men!
Ver. 8. Oh that men would praise the Lord, &c.] Heb. that they would confess it to the Lord, both in secret and in society. This is all the rent that God requireth; he is content that we have the comfort of his blessings, so he may have the honour of them. This was all the fee Christ looked for for his cures, Go and tell what God hath done for thee. Words seem to be a poor and slight recompense; but Christ, saith Nazianzen, calleth himself the Word.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Oh that men would praise! Heb. Let them praise.…
Oh that men would praise! Heb. Let them praise. Or, They shall praise, i.e. they are highly obliged to praise.
To the children of men; not only to his peculiar people, but to all mankind, to whom he is very kind and bountiful.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For he satisfieth the longing soul,.... The soul that…
For he satisfieth the longing soul,.... The soul that is hungry and thirsty, and longs for food and drink, when nature in such circumstances craves. And so such who long for Christ and his grace, for an interest in him, and fellowship with him, the Lord satisfies with these things, as with marrow and fatness.
And filleth the hungry soul with goodness; with the goodness and fatness of his house; with good things; with the good things laid up in Christ and in the covenant; with the good things of the Gospel; with the grace and goodness of God in Christ; see Psa 65:4.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 8. O that men would praise the Lord]…
Verse 8. O that men would praise the Lord] This is what is called the intercalary verse, or burden of each part of this responsive song: see the introduction. God should be praised because he is good. We naturally speak highly of those who are eminent. God is infinitely excellent, and should be celebrated for his perfections. But he does wonders for the children of men; and, therefore, men should praise the Lord. And he is the more to be praised, because these wonders, נפלאות niphlaoth, miracles of mercy and grace, are done for the undeserving. They are done לבני אדם libney Adam, for the children of Adam, the corrupt descendants of a rebel father.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 107:8-9. O that men would praise — Hebrew,…
Psa 107:8-9. O that men would praise — Hebrew, let them praise, or, they shall praise, that is, they are highly obliged to praise. It is meant chiefly of those whom God has graciously relieved. The Lord for his goodness — To them in particular; and for his wonderful works to the children of men — To others, as well as to themselves; and to the children of men, as well as to the children of God. For he satisfieth the longing soul — The needy, who, being sensible of their wants, temporal or spiritual, earnestly desire to have them supplied; and filleth the hungry with goodness — With the fruits of his goodness, with good things, Psa 103:5; with that good which they wanted and desired. Observe, reader, God’s works of mercy are wonderful works, works of wonderful power, considering the weakness, and of wonderful grace, considering the unworthiness of those to whom he shows mercy: and those who share in his works of mercy are in duty bound to return him praise for them. Dr. Hammond remarks very properly, that “this is a Psalm of answering, or of parts, to be sung alternately; having a double burden, or intercalary verse, oft recurring:” see Psa 107:6; Psa 107:13, &c. This, indeed, is apparent upon the most transient view of it. We may suppose one side of the choir to have begun with the first of the parts, and then the other side to have taken the second, and so on. The 9th verse evidently belongs to the first part, for the 10th begins quite another subject.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Oh that men would praise the Lord for his…
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness - More literally, “Let such - or, let these - praise the Lord for his goodness,” the word “men” having been supplied by our translators. Yet it is not improper to suppose that a wider range is intended than would be denoted if it were confined to those who had then been delivered. It was evidently designed to impress the minds of those who might use this psalm in their devotions; and the idea is, that the deliverance then vouchsafed to the people of God in their troubles should lead all to praise and adore him. Such a surprising interposition suggested an important lesson in regard to God, applicable to all people; and should lead all to praise him in view of the trait of character thus manifested, as that of a God who hears prayer when his people are in trouble, and who can make a straight path before them when they are in danger of being lost, and who can conduct them through the wilderness - the waste places - of this world, as he did his people across the pathless sands of the desert. The true use of all history is to teach us lessons about God.
And for his wonderful works to the children of men - His doings as suited to excite wonder and admiration. His dealings with his people in the desert furnished one illustration of this; the world is full of such illustrations. The desire expressed in this verse suggests the great lesson of the psalm.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 8. Oh that men would praise—Better, they shall praise;…
8. Oh that men would praise—Better, they shall praise; that is, those who have experienced such things shall “praise” the Lord; but such as have no experience of the great works of God will have no spirit of praise.
In this second strophe, (Psa_107:10-16,) the unhappy state of Israel in exile is set forth under the figure of the gloom and horror of ancient prison and dungeon life, which many of them had tasted, and to them Babylonia itself was a great prison. The refrains are Psa_107:13; Psa_107:15
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 8. Let them give thanks to Jehovah for his…
8. Let them give thanks to Jehovah for his lovingkindness,
And for his wonderful works to the sons of men.
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The A.V. obliterates the connexion of the refrain with the doxology of Psa_107:1, and gives it a wrong turn by generalising its exhortation (‘Oh that men would praise the Lord’). Here and again in Psa_107:15; Psa_107:21; Psa_107:31, the subject of the verb is the men whose deliverance has just been described.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (8) Oh that men.—The subject is rather to be…
(8) Oh that men.—The subject is rather to be supplied from the preceding clauses, “let them praise,” &c. Some, however, render “they praise,” &c
On the other hand, the insertion of “for” in each clause of the Authorised Version is correct (so LXX. and Vulg.).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Oh that men would praise the Lord for his…
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness! Here the refrain occurs for the first time. Note its repetition in vers. 15, 21, and 31. It is an earnest call on those who have experienced God"s mercies to be thankful. And for his wonderful works to the children of men! or, "his wonderful doings.
Praise, its desirableness, absence, and source.
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This psalm one of those many Scriptures which show God"s mindfulness of the needs, not alone of one land and age, but of all. For see what variety of condition, character, occupation, experience, are portrayed in this one psalm the desert, the city, the sea, the prison, the traveler, the exile, the sailor, the disease-stricken, the captive, the storm-tossed, the rescued. And thus it is that all men, of all ages and all lands, may find, whatever their condition, in this blessed book that which meets their case, which seems written for just such as they. But the psalm mainly contemplates God"s great deliverances, and is a summons to all men to praise the Lord for his goodness. This is the burden of the text, and it plainly teaches that for men thus to praise the Lord is
I INFINITELY DESIRABLE. The psalmist longs that they should do this; he seems eagerly waiting for that outburst or" praise which he feels ought to be forthcoming. And it is thus to be desired:
1. Because it is so right. If this could not be said of it, nothing else that might be urged could justify such longing after it. But this can be said. For God"s goodness deserves men"s praise. Think how great, how varied, how constant, how all undeserved, how costly, is the goodness of God to men, and how it follows them continually all the days of their life here, and then goes with them into the eternal life. If a fellow man have shown to us, when in distress, great kindness, we are not slow to acknowledge it; or if we were, the verdict of our fellow-men would at once condemn us.
2. It so brightens our life. That which darkens life is the dwelling on its unhappy events, or on those which we think unhappy. But if we would brighten life, we have to reverse this process. Collect the happy facts of life, and let memory recollect and ponder them. It will be found that however great the sum of our sorrows may be, the sum of our joys is greater.
3. It gives us courage in the conflict with the social evils of the day. There are many such. They are demanding men"s attention more and more. The bitter cry of multitudes of our fellow men can be no longer stifled or ignored. And good men are setting themselves to see what can be done to remedy these wrongs. But every one knows that it is much easier to point out a wrong than to find a remedy. For there are so many who profit by the wrong, that they will never, if they can help, let go their hold of it. All man"s selfishness rises up to guard it, and its defenses are strong indeed. But what can so encourage us to assail these strongholds of wrong as the conviction, wrought by the habit of praising the Lord for his goodness, that he whom we know to be good cannot but be against such wrong, and with those who seek to remedy it? There will be heard in their souls the ancient stirring cry, "Deus vult!" and like as that emboldened men in the days of the Crusades, so for this far more important and difficult crusade it will serve the same blessed office of emboldening the hearts of those who undertake it. But such custom is
II LAMENTABLY ABSENT. The text is both a confession and a bitter complaint of this fact. But why is this? Wherefore is it that men act towards God in a way which would cover them with shame were they to act so in regard to their fellow-men? The very words of the text suggest not a little of the answer.
1. Many do not believe in the Lord. They will not absolutely deny his existence, but they are not at all certain of it. And such uncertainty paralyzes praise. They, of course, believe in some "force," some efficient power, which produces what they see. They cannot help believing in that. But what it is they do not pretend to say. They are materialists, evolutionists, agnostics, but no more.
2. Others question the goodness" for which men should praise the Lord. They are bewildered at many aspects of the natural world and of the social world, that seem to throw grave doubt on that goodness. And when they look within and see what they themselves are, how evil and wrong; and when they listen to what not a few theologians tell them of God, and the doom he destines for the mass of men, a very sea of doubt and misgiving surges over them, not to say swallows them up.
3. And others deny any wonderful works." They do not believe in the supernatural, and all miracle is but myth. They believe only in the reign of law, and that things happen not in any "wonderful" way, but according to fixed, orderly, and ascertained law. They have a natural explanation for everything, and need no Divine intervention to account for aught that has occurred. They believe in "wonderful works" done by "the children of men," by their genius, skill, daring, but not in any done for them. Such are some of the silencers of men s praise and gratitude. But, whatever the cause, the effect is most sad. Man"s own self becomes, to him who believes not in God, the greatest and most important being he knows, and what but hideous selfishness can follow? And he who doubts as, alas! so many do"That he and we and all men move Under a canopy of love As broad as the blue sky above, what is there for him but to sink down into a wretched pessimism, a despair of good, such as may be met with in wide regions of the thought, speech, and writing of this unbelieving age? Pride, miserable atheistic pride, is another of the Dead-Sea fruits which grow on the tree of unbelief in the supernatural. Believing that man is self-made, he has a wonderful respect for his maker, but no gratitude to God. What, then, is to be done? for surely the spirit of praise
III IS EARNESTLY TO BE SOUGHT AFTER. But how may men be made to praise the Lord for his goodness how? This is, indeed, an important question, and almost as difficult as important. Not, we think, by their simply going over the mercies they have received, because, unless they believe them to be God"s mercies, the mere enumeration will do no good will probably only foster pride. But we believe that St. John supplies the true answer. He says, "We love him, because he first loved us." This is the genesis of the spirit of praise, its true point and spring our seeing and believing God"s love to us in Christ our Lord. So, then, would we quicken this spirit of praise in ourselves, let us get back whence it first began; and would we awaken it in others, the best, we believe the only way, is to"Tell them the old, old story Of Jesus and his love. S.C.
Vers. 8, 9. A fourfold view of God"s relations.
This point is illustrated from the first thirty-two verses of the psalm, the verses taken as text being the refrain closing the first section. Summing up God"s relations with his people, Delitzsch suggestively says:
1. God gave them the lands of the heathen. (see Psa_105:44)
2. God scattered them in the lands. (see Psa_106:27)
3. God gathers them from the lands. (see Psa_107:3) The thirty-two verses, or rather those from ver. 4 to ver. 32, contain four mental pictures: of pilgrims in a barren land of thirst and distress; of captives languishing in a captivity, which is the punishment of sin; of foolish men smitten by God"s hand with sickness, even unto death; of sailors in extremity of danger on the sea. God is seen in his general relations to all, and in his special relations to each.
I GOD THE REFRESHER; or, the pilgrim"s Provider and Guide. Two sources for his figures are before the mind of the psalmist.
1. The old wilderness-journey of the Israelites.
2. The recent desert-journey of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. Both presented peculiarities of difficulty, trial, and need. In both God had most graciously overcome difficulties, and secured all needed supplies. In neither had his people wanted any good thing. This will readily be illustrated by details of these journeys.
II GOD THE LIBERATOR; or, the captive"s Deliverer. Here the same two sources provide the figures. Once Israel was captive in Egypt, and then God brought his people out "with a high hand and outstretched arm. Recently they had been captive in Babylon, and the interweavings of Divine providence, which led to their return to their own land, were no less wonderful and no less gracious. There is a higher sense in which God, through his Son Jesus Christ, now gives "liberty to the captives.
III GOD THE HEALER; Or, the willful man"s Savior. The association of this figure is not so easy to trace. There is very probable allusion to those times of pestilence in the wilderness-journey which followed on the people"s sin; and the people were led into sin by foolish, willful individuals, such as Korah or Dathan. But even when suffering was direct judgment on sin, God magnified his mercy in healing and restoring.
IV GOD THE CONTROLLER; or, the sailor"s Preserver. Israel seems to have had no mercantile associations with the sea before the time of Solomon; but in the time of captivity the Israelites were scattered abroad, and engaged in commerce in all lands, so sea-figures had become familiar. But the reference here may be typical; the perils of the sea picturing all kinds of human peril that are beyond man"s control, but within God"s control. For what he is to his people, we are bidden to thank and praise the Lord. R.T.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 8. Oh that men would praise the LORD…
Ver. 8. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness. Men are not mentioned here in the original, but the word is fitly supplied by the translators; the psalmist would have all things in existence magnify Jehovah's name. Surely men will do this without being exhorted to it when the deliverance is fresh in their memories. They must be horrible ingrates who will not honour such a deliverer for so happy a rescue from the most cruel death. It is well that the redeemed should be stirred up to bless the Lord again and again, for preserved life deserves life long thankfulness. Even those who have not encountered the like peril, and obtained the like deliverance, should bless the Lord in sympathy with their fellows, sharing their joy.
And for his wonderful works to the children of men. These favours are bestowed upon our race, upon children of the family to which we belong, and therefore we ought to join in the praise. The children of men are so insignificant, so feeble, and so undeserving, that it is a great wonder that the Lord should do anything for them; but he is not content with doing little works, he puts forth his wisdom, power, and love to perform marvels on the behalf of those who seek him. In the life of each one of the redeemed there is a world of wonders, and therefore from each there should resound a world of praises. As to the marvels of grace which the Lord has wrought for his church as a whole there is no estimating them, they are as high above our thoughts as the heavens are high above the earth. When shall the day dawn when the favoured race of man shall be as devoted to the praise of God as they are distinguished by the favour of God?
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Ver. 8. He does wonders for the children of men; and therefore, men should praise the Lord. And he is the more to be praised because these wonders, twalpn, niphlaoth, miracles of mercy and grace, are done for the undeserving. There are done Mda ynbl, libney Adam, for the children of Adam, the corrupt descendants of a rebel father. Adam Clarke.
Ver. 8. Oh that men would praise the LORD, etc. Hebrew, That they would confess it to the Lord, both in secret, and in society. This is all the rent that God requireth; he is content that we have the comfort of his blessings, so he may have the honour of them. This was all the fee Christ looked for for his cures: go and tell what God hath done for thee. Words seem to be a poor and slight recompense; but Christ, saith Nazienzen, called himself the Word. John Trapp.
Ver. 8. To the children of men! We must acknowledge God's goodness to the children of men, as well as to the children of God; to others as well as to ourselves. Matthew Henry.
Ver. 8. He who has enjoyed God's help should mark,
1. In what distress he has been;
2. How he has called to God;
3. How God has helped him;
4. What thanks he has returned; and,
5. What thanks he is yet bound to render.
Lange's Commentary.
Psalms 107:9*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Oh that men would praise the Lord for His…
Psa_107:8-9
Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness.
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Thanksgiving for a good harvest
The importance of the harvest season is universally known. The labour and produce of the whole year depend finally on it. A good harvest is not a particular, but a general benefit. Bread is the staff of life; and as all mankind are maintained by the fruits of the ground, so they are all interested, either directly or indirectly, in the season of harvest. Now, the benefits we enjoy in common with our fellow-creatures are the most proper grounds of gratitude and praise to the universal Benefactor; and it is incumbent on us all on this occasion to unite in thanksgiving to Him who gives us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with joy and gladness. To awaken a still more lively sense of our obligation to God, let us consider the time at which it was bestowed. If we turn our attention from God to ourselves, from the Author to the object of this blessing, we shall see still fresh ground for religious gratitude, in estimating the kindness of a benefactor, the character of the beneficiary is a circumstance which is always to be taken into account. The unworthiness of those who receive a favour, enhances the kindness of him who bestows it, and should more strongly recommend him to their affection. If this consideration recommends the goodness of men, how much more does it enhance the Divine beneficence! Let our souls rise, then, in gratitude to that gracious Being, who is ever mindful of us, though we be forgetful of Him; who daily loads us with His benefits, though we perversely abuse them. To complete a sense of our obligation to God, let us consider our security for the enjoyment of this blessing which providence has bestowed upon us. He has not only blessed us with plenty; he has also given us peace to enjoy it. (A. Donnan.)
The Divine goodness illustrated
I. Some illustrations of the Divine goodness.
1. The Divine goodness is self-evident in the creation of the world. How beautiful, how glorious, are all the works of His hand!
2. The high dominion to which man was appointed by the Divine fiat further proves the goodness of his beneficent Creator. He was not to be a vassal, not to be placed on terms of equality, but was to have dominion over the fish of the sea, etc.
3. The Divine goodness is further evident in the provision of the Gospel. How comprehensive is the scheme of wisdom; bow glorious the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God!
II. Gods legitimate claim. Forget not all His benefits. The Divine goodness claims the praise of our tongues.
III. The earnest desire of the psalmist. He would not only give praise himself, but he would be the means of leading others to see and feel that it is an important duty. (G. Hall.)
The wonderful works of Gods goodness
The earnestness with which the psalmist repeats again and again this benevolent wish--as devout as it is benevolent, and expressive of the gratitude that it invokes--implies that men are remiss in paying their thanks to the Supreme Benefactor, and that they have need to be urged to the performance of that cheering duty. Not that the human heart is naturally disinclined to acknowledge God in His benefits, but because it is so easily led to forget Him altogether in the multitude of its cares and pleasures; and because it knows that it can never estimate fully the number and extent of His mercies; and because it is so apt to misunderstand the truest occasions of thankfulness, and so not pay its tribute aright. The sacred poet describes under four distinct figures the lovingkindness, of which He would impress the memory upon the minds of His people. They are fitted to represent all those examples of deliverance which are often vouchsafed, and which challenge in a peculiar manner the admiring gratitude of those who are permitted to witness them. But we perceive that they are all of one class. They all look to some extraordinary exhibition of the saving might of the Most High. If we await such as these, we shall soon be capable of appreciating none. Cases of visible and imminent peril are always rare. A long life will often stand in no need of rescue from such. But few have found themselves in the situation of the fainting traveller in search of his way. Few have been compelled or have chosen to expose themselves to such a risk. As for the second example, the preacher might address many a crowded assembly without finding one person who had felt chains upon his wrists, and sat in undeserved captivity, abandoned of all companionship, and trembling for his life. Sickness, on the other hand, we must admit, is a common visitant, and sickness of the most alarming and fatal character no unfrequent one. And yet it is almost a singularity, compared with comfortable health, and the answer, I am well, to friendly inquiries. Then, as to the last succour named--that amidst the horrors of shipwreck--what a small proportion of people have ever undergone any personal hazard of this kind ,--have ever been likely to be swallowed up in that treacherous highway, whose dust is the salt spray and its pavement thousands of fathoms down! We should have to make similar abatements and allowances as to any other of those uncommon demands on our thanksgiving, which are the most striking to the most common minds. And when we have made all these, there is another set of exceptions that claims equal consideration. They remind us, and how truly, that such occasions as have been alluded to are not only seldom experienced, but are in the highest degree doubtful as to their result; the issue being for the most part deadly, and not gracious. The bones of the poor traveller are found in some unknown spot, or never found. The loaded captive is left to his fate. The diseased man sinks away from a bad state to a worse, till the grave is friendly enough to open its last refuge from weariness and distress. The shattered vessel goes down in the gale, and the sailors cry of entreaty or despair is drowned in the hollow gust, as if none regarded it. What, then, is the inference? It is, that we should not found our praises of the Lord on things that are precarious in their event, and far apart in their occurrence. It is, that we should look for His wonderful works in those that are most constant. We should think more of our continual preservation than of a fortunate escape,--more of the benefits that millions partake of with us, than of those by which we may be for a moment distinguished,--more of the merciful laws of our being, than of its transient incidents,--more of the great truth that a parental Providence reigns, than of any fact that may seem to illustrate its singular interferences. The spirit, then, of the contemplative man should be filled with the love of the Being that fills all in all. The succession of our years should be one thanksgiving day. (N. L. Frothingham.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant…
Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness
Here the word "Oh" is used to convey a strong desire for people to praise Yahweh. The abstract noun "faithfulness" can be translated with an adjective. AT: "Let people praise Yahweh because he is faithful to his covenant" or "People should praise Yahweh because he is faithful to his covenant" (See: Exclamations and Abstract Nouns)
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for humanity
"for all people"
For he satisfies the longings of those who are thirsty
"For he gives water to those who desire it—to those who are thirsty"
the desires of those who are hungry he fills up with good things
"to those who are very hungry and desire food, he give them good things to eat"
Some sat
It is implied that these are people that Yahweh has rescued. AT: "Yahweh also rescued people who sat" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
in darkness and in gloom
Both "darkness" and "gloom" have basically the same meaning and are used to emphasize how dark the prison was. AT: "in complete darkness" (See: Doublet)
translationWords
praise
covenant faithfulness
amazed
darkness
prison
afflicted
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.