Read & explore together
Thanksgiving for rescue from mortal danger and slander
Sirach 51:1–12 is a thanksgiving prayer. The speaker praises God for rescue from danger, false speech, and the nearness of death, then explains how prayer and remembered mercy lead to renewed praise.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage comes from the Catholic additional books and speaks as wisdom and dialogue rather than as a full story. In these verses, the speaker addresses the Lord directly, recalls many kinds of danger, says human help failed, and thanks God for hearing prayer and saving him.
Sirach 51:1–12Main takeaway
This passage teaches that the speaker thanks the Lord for rescue, especially after danger, slander, and helplessness led him to pray.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Praise begins with God’s namesThe prayer opens with thanks and praise to the Lord as King, God, and Saviour. These names shape the whole passage.
Explanation
The prayer opens with thanks and praise to the Lord as King, God, and Saviour. These names shape the whole passage. The speaker is not only glad to be safe. He directs gratitude to God’s name because God has acted as protector and helper.
02Rescue from danger and false speechThe speaker lists many threats: destruction, a slanderous tongue, lies, enemies seeking his life, and afflictions.
Explanation
The speaker lists many threats: destruction, a slanderous tongue, lies, enemies seeking his life, and afflictions. The images are intense, including fire, Hades, and teeth ready to devour. The passage does not explain each event, but it clearly stresses both physical danger and harm caused by dishonest speech.
03Human help failed, but the Lord was rememberedThe turning point comes when the speaker admits there was no human help. Surrounded and near death, he remembered the Lord’s mercy and long-standing work of deliverance.
Explanation
The turning point comes when the speaker admits there was no human help. Surrounded and near death, he remembered the Lord’s mercy and long-standing work of deliverance. Waiting for God is linked here with being saved from enemies, so memory of God’s mercy leads to hope.
04Prayer rises and thanksgiving returnsThe speaker lifted up prayer and asked not to be forsaken in affliction, especially when facing the proud and having no helper.
Explanation
The speaker lifted up prayer and asked not to be forsaken in affliction, especially when facing the proud and having no helper. The ending answers the beginning: prayer was heard, rescue came, and praise continues. Thanksgiving is the fitting response to God’s saving help.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What kinds of danger does the speaker say he was rescued from?
Look for both threats to life and threats from speech, such as slander, lies, fire, enemies, and nearness to death.
02What changes in the passage when no human help is found?
Notice the movement from helplessness to remembering the Lord’s mercy and then praying for deliverance.
03How does the ending connect back to the opening lines?
Compare the first words of thanks and praise with the final promise to give thanks, praise, and bless the Lord’s name.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Sirach 51:1–12
1I will give thanks to you, O Lord, O King, and will praise you, O God my Savior. I give thanks to your name,
2for you have been my protector and helper, and delivered my body out of destruction, and out of the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies. You were my helper before those who stood by,
3and delivered me, according to the abundance of your mercy and of your name, from the gnashings of teeth ready to devour, out of the hand of those seeking my life, out of the many afflictions I endured,
4from the choking of a fire on every side, and out of the midst of fire that I hadn’t kindled,
5out of the depth of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue, and from lying words—
6the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king. My soul drew near to death. My life was near to Hades.
7They surrounded me on every side. There was no one to help me. I was looking for human help, and there was none.
8Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your working which has been from everlasting, how you deliver those who wait for you, and save them out of the hand of their enemies.
9I lifted up my prayer from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.
10I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not forsake me in the days of affliction, in the time when there was no help against the proud.
11I will praise your name continually. I will sing praise with thanksgiving. My prayer was heard.
12You saved me from destruction and delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks and praise to you, and bless the name of the Lord.