Psalm 107:31 kjv
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:31 nkjv
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:31 niv
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Psalm 107:31 esv
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Psalm 107:31 nlt
Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
Psalm 107 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference/Note |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 107:8 | Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! | First refrain, identical call after desert deliverance. |
| Psa 107:15 | Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! | Second refrain, after release from prison. |
| Psa 107:21 | Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! | Third refrain, after healing from sickness. |
| Psa 106:1 | Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever. | Exhortation to praise for goodness and lovingkindness. |
| Psa 118:1 | Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His lovingkindness endures forever. | Repetitive call to thanksgiving for God's enduring love. |
| Psa 9:1 | I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds. | Personal commitment to recount God's marvelous acts. |
| Psa 40:5 | Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works... None can compare with You... | Acknowledges the countless, incomparable works of God. |
| Psa 105:1-2 | Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!... Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wonderful works. | Command to proclaim God's wonders globally. |
| Psa 111:2-4 | The works of the LORD are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious... He has made His wonderful works to be remembered... | God's works are worthy of study and remembrance. |
| Psa 145:3-6 | Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised... One generation shall praise Your works to another... | God's greatness, power, and marvelous deeds to be known. |
| Ex 34:6-7 | The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth... | Description of God's character, including goodness. |
| Psa 86:5 | For You, LORD, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. | Emphasizes God's goodness and readiness to respond. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. | God's enduring lovingkindness (mercies/compassions). |
| Jer 32:17, 20 | Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm... You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men... | God's creative power and historical wonders for humanity. |
| Acts 2:11 | ...we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. | New Testament example of proclaiming God's mighty acts. |
| Rom 2:4 | Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? | God's goodness leads to spiritual transformation. |
| Eph 2:7 | that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. | God's kindness/goodness manifested supremely in Christ. |
| 1 Chr 16:23-24 | Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. | Call for universal declaration of God's works and salvation. |
| Phil 4:6 | Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. | Thanksgiving as part of addressing God in prayer. |
| Heb 13:15 | Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. | Continual sacrifice of praise as New Covenant worship. |
Psalm 107 verses
Psalm 107 31 Meaning
Psalm 107:31 is an impassioned exclamation and a fervent wish, a recurring refrain throughout the Psalm. It implores humanity to acknowledge, give thanks, and praise the LORD (Yahweh) for His inherent goodness, which is consistently demonstrated through His faithful love (chesed), and for His awe-inspiring, miraculous deeds (nifle'ot) performed specifically for the benefit and salvation of mankind. It underscores a central theme of gratitude as a proper response to God's benevolent intervention in human affairs.
Psalm 107 31 Context
Psalm 107 is a profound psalm of thanksgiving, specifically designed to stir up praise in those who have experienced God's delivering hand. The entire psalm narrates four distinct scenarios of distress, representing universal human experiences: wandering in the desert (vv. 4-9), imprisonment (vv. 10-16), severe illness (vv. 17-22), and facing violent storms at sea (vv. 23-32). In each section, the pattern is consistent: people are in desperate trouble due to their own sin or circumstances, they cry out to the LORD in their distress, He delivers them, and then a call to worship and thanksgiving follows. Verse 31 is the concluding refrain for the fourth and final scenario (the sailors delivered from the tempest). It is the culmination of the psalm's repeated emphasis, driving home the central message that the appropriate response to God's consistent intervention and steadfast love is heartfelt praise and acknowledgement of His glorious works. Historically, it likely served as a liturgical hymn, possibly used during corporate worship or feasts, prompting the congregation to reflect on God's active involvement in their lives and the life of Israel. Its recurring exhortation subtly critiques any tendency to attribute deliverance to fate, chance, or human effort, affirming Yahweh as the sole and supreme deliverer.
Psalm 107 31 Word analysis
- Oh that men would praise (Hebrew: יֹ֭ודוּ יֹהוָה - Yôḏû Yahweh): This phrase opens with an emphatic "Oh that..." expressing a strong desire or a heartfelt wish for all of humanity to respond. The verb "praise" (יֹ֭ודוּ - yodu) comes from the root יָדָה (yadah), which means to cast, throw, or confess, extending to praise and give thanks. It implies an outward, public acknowledgement and celebration of God's character and actions, often involving an uplifted hand. It signifies active thanksgiving rather than passive admiration, often with a sense of confession of what God has done.
- the LORD (Hebrew: יְהֹוָ֥ה - Yahweh): This is God's covenant name, His proper personal name, revealed to Israel (Ex 3:14-15). Its use here highlights God's personal relationship with His people and His active engagement in their history, contrasting with generic terms for deity. It emphasizes His supreme authority, eternality, and fidelity to His promises.
- for his goodness (Hebrew: לְחַסְדּ֥וֹ - ləḥas'dô): "Goodness" here is ḥeseḏ (often transliterated as chesed), one of the most significant theological terms in the Old Testament. It denotes steadfast love, loyal devotion, covenant loyalty, mercy, kindness, and unfailing grace. It’s not just a benign attitude but active, enduring, and generous love shown through deeds. It is tied to God's character and covenant faithfulness, going beyond what is deserved to encompass merciful provision and enduring faithfulness.
- and for his wonderful works (Hebrew: וּלְנִפְלְאֹתָֽיו - wələniflə'ôṯāyw): "Wonderful works" (נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו - nifle'otav) comes from the root פָלָא (pala), meaning to be distinct, extraordinary, incomprehensible, or marvelous. These are not merely good deeds but astonishing, miraculous, and incomprehensible acts that transcend human ability or expectation, demonstrating divine power and wisdom. They serve as signs of God's active presence and power in the world.
- to the children of men (Hebrew: לִבְנֵ֣י אָדָֽם - liḇnê 'āḏām): This phrase literally means "to the sons of Adam," encompassing all humanity, humankind. It emphasizes that God's goodness and wonderful works are directed toward people, not just for a specific group, but for all human beings. It broadens the scope of the psalmist's prayer and God's benevolent action to include every individual who experiences the challenges of life and the possibility of divine deliverance.
- "Oh that men would praise the LORD": This is an emphatic interjection, expressing an intense desire or prayer that people would offer the appropriate response to God. It highlights the psalmist's longing for humanity to recognize and acknowledge God's saving power and love, suggesting that such praise is not automatic but a desired, even imperative, human response.
- "for his goodness, and for his wonderful works": This pairing reveals the dual grounds for praising God. His praise is not merely for who He is in His essence (goodness/chesed), but also for what He actively does (wonderful works/nifle'ot). These are inseparable aspects of His benevolent interaction with creation, demonstrating both His character and His powerful interventions in the world.
- "His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!": This collective phrase points to the holistic nature of God's redemptive activity. His character (goodness/chesed) flows into tangible, extraordinary acts (wonderful works/nifle'ot), all of which are specifically aimed at benefiting and delivering humanity ("children of men"). It underscores God’s personal, active, and caring involvement in human life, extending His faithfulness and miraculous power to everyone who calls upon Him. The repetition throughout Psalm 107 hammers home this profound message, urging universal gratitude.
Psalm 107 31 Bonus section
The fourfold repetition of this exact refrain creates a powerful liturgical and rhetorical structure, forming the heart of Psalm 107. This structural element, often seen as a chorus in ancient hymns, suggests its importance for memorization and corporate worship. Each instance serves not merely as a summary of the preceding stanza but as an intensified plea for recognition and gratitude. Furthermore, Psalm 107 often follows Psalm 106, which details Israel's rebellion and God's enduring chesed despite their unfaithfulness. Psalm 107 then expands this concept to include a broader 'children of men' (humanity) experiencing distress not necessarily due to sin, highlighting God's universal compassion and readiness to intervene whenever He is called upon in need. The "goodness" (chesed) spoken of here implies an active, covenantal love that perseveres through all circumstances, guaranteeing His response when people cry out to Him.
Psalm 107 31 Commentary
Psalm 107:31 serves as the climactic and universal exhortation following the diverse testimonies of divine rescue depicted in the preceding verses. Its repetition, identical in verses 8, 15, 21, and 31, underscores the psalm's central theological message: God's loyal love (chesed) and His miraculous deeds (nifle'ot) are consistently displayed for all humanity, and therefore, a consistent and heartfelt response of praise is eternally warranted. This verse moves beyond individual deliverance to a general, all-encompassing call for humanity to acknowledge God as the ultimate source of salvation and blessing. It is a direct appeal to the reader to internalize the narrative examples and apply the principle to their own lives – recognizing God’s powerful grace in the commonplace as well as the miraculous. The psalm teaches that sincere thanksgiving and open adoration of the LORD for His unwavering commitment and incredible acts are the natural and necessary expression of a grateful heart.