Hosea 14:8

Ephraim shall say—being brought to penitence by God's goodness, and confessing and abhorring his past madness.

I have heard . . . and observed him—I Jehovah have answered and regarded him with favor; the opposite of God's "hiding His face from" one (Deuteronomy 31:17). It is the experience of God's favor, in contrast to God's wrath heretofore, that leads Ephraim to abhor his past idolatry. Jehovah heard and answered: whereas the idols, as Ephraim now sees, could not hear, much less answer.

I am . . . a green fir—or cypress; ever green, winter and summer alike; the leaves not falling off in winter.

From me is thy fruit found—"From Me," as the root. Thou needest go no farther than Me for the supply of all thy wants; not merely the protection implied by the shadow of the cypress, but that which the cypress has not, namely, fruit, all spiritual and temporal blessings. It may be also implied, that whatever spiritual graces Ephraim seeks for or may have, are not of themselves, but of God (Psalms 1:3; John 15:4-5, John 15:8; James 1:17). God's promises to us are more our security for mortifying sin than our promises to God (Isaiah 27:9).