Midrasch zu Jirmejahu 31:1

Rabbi Simon said: "Three times the Holy One, blessed be He, found favor. Abraham, as it is written: "Finding his heart true to You (Nehemiah 9:8)"; David, as it is written: "I have found David, My servant; anointed him with My sacred oil (Psalm 89:21)"; Israel, as it is written: "I found Israel [as pleasing] As grapes in the wilderness (Hosea 9:10)". His friends objected to Rabbi Simon: "But see! It is written: "But Noah found favor with Hashem"". He replied to them: "The Holy One, blessed be He, did not find favor with him. See! It is written: "Thus said Hashem: The people escaped from the sword, Found favor in the wilderness (Jeremiah 31:2)": from the merit of the generation of the wilderness "finding his heart true to You".