Deuteronomy 26:10

Ver. 10. Thou shalt set it before the Lord— i.e. Before the sanctuary where God was especially present. It appears from this, that the person who made the former profession held the basket in his hand during the time; which done, he set it before the altar, as at the first, ver. 4 and worshipped before the Lord; i.e. as the Hebrew word imports, bowed his body towards the holy place: and, as this was a sign of inward worship, so, no doubt, it was accompanied, in all good men, with humble thanks to God for his benefits, and with prayers for the continuance of them. See Outram de Sacrif. l. i. c. 8. and Vossius de Idolol. l. ii. c. 79.

REFLECTIONS.—We have here the ceremony and prayer prescribed at the offering of the first-fruits, when the offerer made the following profession and humble acknowledgment: 1. Of the faithfulness of God in giving them the land which he had promised to their fathers. Gratitude for his goodness is the tribute that God justly expects from us. 2. He confessed his own unworthiness of so great a mercy, as being sprung from ancestors of so ignoble an origin. The more unworthy we, the more is the divine grace magnified in our salvation. We cannot think too lowly of ourselves, nor too highly of God's goodness. 3. He thankfully remembered the deliverance God wrought for them, and the happy land he had now brought them to. Note; (1.) Past deliverances are never to be forgotten, especially those which God has wrought for our souls. (2.) Others' mercies are our own, and we should be thankful for the blessings they enjoy in common with ourselves. 4. He then offered up the basket, as an acknowledgment due to the great Lord of the land, containing a little of the first and the best, and which sanctified the remainder to his own use. Note; (1.) All our gifts of Providence must be acknowledged as coming from God's hand. (2.) The prime of our life should be offered up to his service. (3.) Our earthly blessings will then be doubly sweet to us, when we receive and use them as coming to us from God's mercy and love. 5. The service was concluded with other acts of solemn worship, and a feast of holy joy before the Lord. It was not so much the gift, as the gratitude of the offerer's heart, which made the offering acceptable; and whilst God was honoured by this worship and service, the offerer should be happy and rejoice before him.