Verse 3— Blessed be God. The writer breaks forth in this ejaculation of thank­fulness to God for the exhibition of his mercy to the chil­dren of men. It is called an abundant mercy; that is, an overflowing mercy, a great mercy. It is a marvelous mercy that God should beget us again to a lively hope— a living hope, not a dead hope. Being begotten of God, we are his children, and as children we have this living hope— a glorious hope of a blessed, eternal existence by or through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. By the resurrection of Christ from the dead, his divinity is demon­strated, and on this our hope is based.