Psalms 107:8
in Psalms 107Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
KJV
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
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This verse in Psalms 107
Commentary
10 notes on this verseNote, (1.) God's works of mercy are wonderful works, works of wonderful power considering the weakness, and of wonderful grace considering the unworthiness, of those he shows mercy to. (2.) It is expected of those who receive mercy from God that they return praise to him.
This site's exposition
wandered in desert wastelands
on Psalms 107:4-9
The first of four rescues is wanderers in desert wastelands with no road to a city and no food or water. Each one turns on the same cry to the LORD in their trouble, and here He led them on a straight path. He fills the hungry with good things.
This site's exposition
Let them give thanks to the LORD
This second refrain returns at verses 15, 21 and 31. Loving devotion is chesed, the word of verse 1, so each rescue ends where the psalm began. His wonders to the sons of men are the rescues just told.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
How He helped their hunger and thirst, He says not, but even this expect ye: "Let them confess unto the Lord His mercies, and His wonders towards the children of men" [Psalm 107:8]. Tell them, you that are experienced, to the inexperienced; ye that are already in the way, already directed towards finding the city, already at last free from hunger and thirst. "Because He has satisfied the empty soul, and filled the hungry soul with good things" [Psalm 107:9].
Many other monks coming from Phbow by boat reached the island, and we were three hundred in number. About the eighth hour of the twenty-sixth of the month of Athyr, Theodore called all of us and gathered us near himself, and he told Theodore the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,.... For his providential goodness, in providing food and drink for them, when fainting; in directing them to their right way, when they had lost it; and in bringing them safe to the place they were bound for: and particularly for his special grace and goodness, in redemption and effectual calling; for bringing out of a wilderness state and condition, and supplying them with all spiritual provisions, and putting them in the right way to eternal glory and happiness.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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?
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.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יוֹד֣וּ | yodu | let them give thanks | H3034 → | 114 times |
| לַיהוָ֣ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| חַסְדּ֑וֹ | chasdo | covenant loyalty his | H2617 → | 247 times |
| וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו | venifleotav | and wonders his | H6381 → | 71 times |
| לִבְנֵ֥י | livnei | to [the] children of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָדָֽם׃ | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
יוֹד֣וּlet them give thanks
yoduH3034 →114 times
לַיהוָ֣הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
חַסְדּ֑וֹcovenant loyalty his
chasdoH2617 →247 times
וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יוand wonders his
venifleotavH6381 →71 times
לִבְנֵ֥יto [the] children of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
אָדָֽם׃humankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 78:4We will not hide them from their children, but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might, and the wonders He has performed.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 11:19
Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
- Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as…
- Joel 1:3
Tell it to your children; let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation.
- Psalms 145:4–6
One generation will commend Your works to the next, and will proclaim Your mighty acts—
- Deuteronomy 6:7
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
- Deuteronomy 11:19
Through
Psalms 147:1Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and lovely to praise Him!
it leads to
- Psalms 135:3
Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.
- Psalms 135:3
Through
Psalms 107:15Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
it leads to
- Psalms 107:21
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 107:21
Through
Psalms 107:31Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
it leads to
- Psalms 103:2
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—
- Psalms 103:2
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ammon of Hadrianopolis, LETTER OF BISHOP AMMON 28; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 107; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.