Deuteronomy 33:29

Ver. 29. Happy art thou, O Israel!— See ver. 26, &c. GOD is there said to have none like Him; so is Israel here: HE is superior to all created beings, because they obey Him: they are superior to other nations, because he has saved them: in both places they are represented as being under his particular providence, assisted by Him in conquering their enemies, and admitted by Him into their country. Might not this song, therefore, have been penned with a view to be sung in different parts: the first part by the men, the other by the women, as was done in that song which celebrates the miraculous passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea? What is rendered, thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, I render, shall submit themselves; the word כחשׁ kichesh, besides the signification of denying, or concealing the truth, signifies also, to submit oneself, and is accordingly thus rendered in many places by our translators. See 2 Samuel 22:45.Psalms 18:44; Psalms 66:3; Psalms 81:15 and Castelli Lexicon. Though high-places, במות bamoth, generally denotes such as were appropriated to the religious rites of idolaters, it is likewise used for intrenchments, or fortifications on eminences, and it is most probably to be understood here in both senses. The Jerusalem Targum renders the sentence, thou shalt tread upon the necks of their kings. See 2 Samuel 19:25; 2 Samuel 22:34. Durell. We just observe, respecting the word כחשׁ kichesh, that, according to Parkhurst, its primary signification is, to fail, be deficient, or wanting; and therefore it may be rendered literally, thine enemies shall fail before thee. See Hosea 9:2.Habakkuk 3:17.

REFLECTIONS.—He concludes his long with a high character of Israel's God, and a glorious account of God's Israel. 1. Israel's God is glorious above all gods; the heavens are his chariot, shewing his majesty and honour, under his government, and armed to execute his orders: eternal in his self-existent essence, almighty in power and universal dominion. Note; We can never sufficiently exalt and extol the God of glory; for, when we have raised our conceptions and praises to the highest pitch, he is still far above all blessing and praise. 2. The Israel of God is glorious too, in the love, care, protection, and blessing of such a God. He is their refuge or dwelling-place; a refuge to fly to, as the man-slayer did, for deliverance from sin, death, and hell. A mansion, where the soul may rest, comfortable and secure, under the shadow of a covenant God. And underneath are the everlasting arms, to embrace and comfort them, to protect and preserve them. He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; strongly entrenched and powerful as their armies may be, the commission is signed for their destruction; he shall say, Destroy them. In judgment, the Canaanites must perish, and Israel be the executioner of divine vengeance. Note; Christ Jesus has, by once dying, destroyed the devil and his works, and all his redeemed people go forth under his banner, conquering and to conquer. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; for what can disturb their repose, who have God for their refuge? With his presence, they never can be solitary; and, whilst detached from the idolatry around them, are thus secure from fear of evil. Note; The more separate we are from the world, generally speaking, the safer; little compliances often bring on great and dangerous consequences. The fountain of Jacob, the people derived from him their source, and, flowing downward still to future generations, shall be upon a land of corn and wine, with which Canaan, their happy lot, abounded: also his heavens shall drop down the dew, refreshing and timely showers shall impregnate the earth with fertility: thus Jesus causes the dew of his heavenly influences to descend on his people's hearts, which makes them revive as the corn, and grow as the vine. Well may it be said after such an assemblage of blessings, Happy art thou, O Israel, Who is like unto thee? whom no foes can approach, because a people saved of the Lord; covered from every assault by him, who is the shield of thy help; and armed with those offensive weapons, whose piercing edge no tempered armour can resist, even the sword of his excellency. Note; Every spiritual Israelite is clad in the divine panoply: the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the helmet of salvation, secure him from danger, enable him to fight and subdue every enemy of his soul. Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, their proud vauntings shall be confounded, and their threatened rage disappointed; and thou shalt tread upon their high places, triumphantly reign over them, casting down their strongest-holds, and treading under foot their idols, whose groves and temples were usually on the high places, and thus shall God do for his believing people, bruising Satan under their feet, casting down imaginations, and every high thought which exalteth itself within them, and bringeth the whole man into the obedience of Christ, who shall reign in the believer's heart as their king on earth, before they are brought to reign with him as kings in glory everlasting.

See commentary on Deuteronomy 33:26