And God {a} remembered Noah, and {b} every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

(a) Not that God forgets his at any time, but when he sends comfort then he shows that he remembers them.

(b) If God remembered every brute beast, that ought also to assure his children.

Wesley's Notes

8:1 And God remembered Noah and every living thing - This is an expression after the manner of men, for not any of his creatures, much less any of his people are forgotten of God. But the whole race of mankind, except Noah and his family, was now extinguished, and gone into the land of forgetfulness, so that God's remembering Noah was the return of his mercy to mankind, of whom he would not make a full end. Noah himself, tho' one that had found grace in the eyes of the Lord, yet seemed to be forgotten in the ark; but at length God returned in mercy to him, and that is expressed by his remembering him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 8

Ge 8:1-14. Assuaging of the Waters.

1. And God remembered Noah-The divine purpose in this awful dispensation had been accomplished, and the world had undergone those changes necessary to fit it for becoming the residence of man under a new economy of Providence.

and every living thing . in the ark-a beautiful illustration of Mt 10:29.

and God made a wind to pass over the earth-Though the divine will could have dried up the liquid mass in an instant, the agency of a wind was employed (Ps 104:4)-probably a hot wind, which, by rapid evaporation, would again absorb one portion of the waters into the atmosphere; and by which, the other would be gradually drained off by outlets beneath.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:1-3 The whole race of mankind, except Noah and his family, were now dead, so that God's remembering Noah, was the return of his mercy to mankind, of whom he would not make a full end. The demands of Divine justice had been answered by the ruin of sinners. God sent his wind to dry the earth, and seal up his waters. The same hand that brings the desolation, must bring the deliverance; to that hand, therefore, we must ever look. When afflictions have done the work for which they are sent, whether killing work or curing work, they will be taken away. As the earth was not drowned in a day, so it was not dried in a day. God usually works deliverance for his people gradually, that the day of small things may not be despised, nor the day of great things despaired of.