19 And Jehovah seeth and despiseth—For the provocation of His sons and His daughters. 20 And He saith: I hide My face from them, I see what 'is' their latter end; For a froward generation 'are' they, Sons in whom is no stedfastness. 21 They have made Me zealous by 'no-god,' They made Me angry by their vanities; And I make them zealous by 'no-people,' By a foolish nation I make them angry. 22 For a fire hath been kindled in Mine anger, And it burneth unto Sheol—the lowest, And consumeth earth and its increase, And setteth on fire foundations of mountains. 23 I gather upon them evils, Mine arrows I consume upon them. 24 Exhausted by famine, And consumed by heat, and bitter destruction. And the teeth of beasts I send upon them, With poison of fearful things of the dust. 25 Without bereave doth the sword, And at the inner-chambers—fear, Both youth and virgin, Suckling with man of grey hair.
26 I have said: I blow them away, I cause their remembrance to cease from man; 27 If not—the anger of an enemy I fear, Lest their adversaries know—Lest they say, Our hand is high, And Jehovah hath not wrought all this. 28 For a nation lost to counsels 'are' they, And there is no understanding in them. 29 If they were wise—They deal wisely 'with' this; They attend to their latter end: 30 How doth one pursue a thousand, And two cause a myriad to flee! If not—that their rock hath sold them, And Jehovah hath shut them up? 31 For not as our Rock 'is' their rock, (And our enemies 'are' judges!) 32 For of the vine of Sodom their vine 'is', And of the fields of Gomorrah; Their grapes 'are' grapes of gall—They have bitter clusters; 33 The poison of dragons 'is' their wine And the fierce venom of asps. 34 Is it not laid up with Me? Sealed among My treasures? 35 Mine 'are' vengeance and recompense, At the due time—doth their foot slide; For near is a day of their calamity, And haste do things prepared for them. 36 For Jehovah doth judge His people, And for His servants doth repent Himself. For He seeth—the going away of power, And none is restrained and left. 37 And He hath said, Where 'are' their gods—The rock in which they trusted; 38 Which the fat of their sacrifices do eat, They drink the wine of their libation! Let them arise and help you, Let it be for you a hiding-place!
39 See ye, now, that I—I 'am' He, And there is no god with Me: I put to death, and I keep alive; I have smitten, and I heal; And there is not from My hand a deliverer, 40 For I lift up unto the heavens My hand, And have said, I live—to the age! 41 If I have sharpened the brightness of My sword, And My hand doth lay hold on judgment, I turn back vengeance to Mine adversaries, And to those hating Me—I repay! 42 I make drunk Mine arrows with blood, And My sword devoureth flesh, From the blood of the pierced and captive, From the head of the freemen of the enemy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:19-42
Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:19-25
(Read Deuteronomy 32:19-25)
The revolt of Israel was described in the foregoing verses, and here follow the resolves of Divine justice as to them. We deceive ourselves, if we think that God will be mocked by a faithless people. Sin makes us hateful in the sight of the holy God. See what mischief sin does, and reckon those to be fools that mock at it.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:26-38
(Read Deuteronomy 32:26-38)
The idolatry and rebellions of Israel deserved, and the justice of God seemed to demand, that they should be rooted out. But He spared Israel, and continues them still to be living witnesses of the truth of the Bible, and to silence unbelievers. They are preserved for wise and holy purposes and the prophecies give us some idea what those purposes are. The Lord will never disgrace the throne of his glory. It is great wisdom, and will help much to the return of sinners to God, seriously to consider their latter end, or the future state. It is here meant particularly of what God foretold by Moses, about this people in the latter days; but it may be applied generally. Oh that men would consider the happiness they will lose, and the misery they will certainly plunge into, if they go on in their trespasses! What will be in the end thereof? Jeremiah 5:31. For the Lord will in due time bring down the enemies of the church, in displeasure against their wickedness. When sinners deem themselves most secure, they suddenly fall into destruction. And God's time to appear for the deliverance of his people, is when things are at the worst with them. But those who trust to any rock but God, will find it fail them when they most need it. The rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish nation, is the continuance of their ancient idolatry, apostacy, and rebellion. They shall be brought to humble themselves before the Lord, to repent of their sins, and to trust in their long-rejected Mediator for salvation. Then he will deliver them, and make their prosperity great.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:39-43
(Read Deuteronomy 32:39-43)
This conclusion of the song speaks, 1. Glory to God. No escape can be made from his power. 2. It speaks terror to his enemies. Terror indeed to those who hate him. The wrath of God is here revealed from heaven against them. 3. It speaks comfort to his own people. The song concludes with words of joy. Whatever judgments are brought upon sinners, it shall go well with the people of God.