Psalms 107:31

My Notes

What Does Psalms 107:31 Mean?

"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" The SECOND great refrain of Psalm 107 — the RESPONSE refrain (distinct from the CRY refrain of verses 6, 13, 19, 28). This refrain also appears four times (verses 8, 15, 21, 31), FOLLOWING each deliverance. The pattern: trouble → cry → save → PRAISE. The praise is the PROPER response to the saving. The 'oh that' (yodu — let them give thanks) is a WISH — a longing that the delivered would actually respond with thanksgiving.

The phrase "oh that men would praise the LORD" (yodu laYHWH chasdo — let them thank the LORD for His chesed/loyal-love) is a WISH, not a certainty: the psalmist WANTS people to praise. The 'let them' is OPTATIVE — expressing desire, not describing reality. The implication: some who are saved DON'T praise. Some who are delivered DON'T thank. The refrain is necessary BECAUSE the response isn't automatic. The praise must be CALLED FOR because it doesn't always come naturally.

The phrase "his wonderful works to the children of men" (veniphle'otav livnei adam — His wonders/extraordinary acts to the sons of humanity) makes the works RELATIONAL: the wonders are done TO the children of men — FOR them, TOWARD them, on their BEHALF. The wonderful works aren't abstract cosmic events. They're acts directed at PEOPLE. The wonders have RECIPIENTS. The extraordinary acts have BENEFICIARIES.

The FOUR repetitions of this refrain create a LITURGICAL expectation: after EVERY deliverance (wanderers led home, prisoners freed, sick healed, storm-tossed saved), the SAME response is called for. The refrain teaches: WHATEVER God delivers you from, PRAISE is the response. The specific trouble changes. The appropriate response doesn't.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What deliverance has received the saving but not the praising?
• 2.What does the 'oh that' (wish, not certainty) teach about praise NOT being automatic after deliverance?
• 3.How does the FOUR-FOLD repetition describe the persistence needed to remind the delivered to give thanks?
• 4.What 'wonderful work to the children of men' has God done for you that still awaits your praise?

Devotional

OH THAT men would PRAISE. The wish — the LONGING — that the saved would actually respond with thanksgiving. The refrain appears FOUR times because the reminder is needed FOUR times. The deliverance happens. The praise doesn't always follow. The saving is guaranteed. The thanking is not.

The 'OH THAT' reveals the GAP: the psalmist wouldn't need to WISH for praise if praise happened automatically. The refrain exists because delivered people sometimes forget to THANK. The saved sometimes don't praise. The rescued sometimes walk away without looking back. The 'oh that' is the lament over MISSING gratitude.

The 'WONDERFUL WORKS to the children of men' personalizes the wonders: the extraordinary acts aren't cosmic fireworks for divine entertainment. They're directed at PEOPLE — to the children of men, for them, toward them. The wonders have ADDRESSES. The miracles have RECIPIENTS. The extraordinary is aimed at the ordinary. The divine acts reach human lives.

The FOUR-FOLD repetition is LITURGICAL pedagogy: after every deliverance story, the SAME refrain. The repetition teaches through INSISTENCE: praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. PRAISE THE LORD. PRAISE THE LORD. Four times. After four different salvations. The lesson through repetition: no matter WHAT God saves you from, the response is ALWAYS praise. The specific changes. The response doesn't.

What deliverance in your life has received the SAVING but not the PRAISING — and what 'oh that' is this refrain addressing?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture