Deuteronomio 9:5

5 No por tu justicia, ni por la rectitud de tu corazón entras a heredar la tierra de ellos; mas por la impiedad de estos gentiles el SEÑOR tu Dios los echa de delante de ti, y por confirmar la palabra que el SEÑOR juró a tus padres Abraham, Isaac, y Jacob

Deuteronomio 9:5 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:5

Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine
heart
Neither for their external righteousness before men, or their outward conformity to the law, nor for the inward sincerity of their hearts, and their upright intentions in doing good, in which they were defective:

dost thou go to possess their land;
this is repeated, and enlarged on, and explained, that this notion might be entirely removed from them, and not entertained by them; similar to which is that of men, who fancy that their sincere obedience, though imperfect, will be accepted of God instead of a perfect one, on account of which they shall be justified and saved; but by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified in the sight of God, nor by any works of righteousness done by the best of men, and in the best manner they are capable of, will any be saved;

but for the wickedness of those nations the Lord thy God doth drive
them out from before thee;
which is repeated, that it might be taken notice of as the true reason of the Lord's dealing with them in such severity; and which because it would be now doing, when the Israelites passed over Jordan, and went in to possess the land, it is expressed in the present tense, "doth drive", the work being not yet finished; sin was the cause of their ejection out of their land, and another thing was the reason of the Israelites possessing it, and not their righteousness next expressed:

and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
it was to fulfil his covenant, and make good his word of promise to their fathers, and not on account of any righteousness of theirs; and the salvation of the Lord's people in a spiritual sense, and their enjoyment of the heavenly Canaan, are owing to the gracious purposes and promises of God, and to his covenant engagements, as well as to the undertakings, obedience, and righteousness of his Son, and not to any righteousness of theirs.

Deuteronomio 9:5 In-Context

3 Sepas, pues, hoy, que el SEÑOR tu Dios es el que pasa delante de ti, fuego consumidor, que los destruirá y humillará delante de ti; y tú los echarás, y los destruirás luego, como el SEÑOR te ha dicho

4 No pienses en tu corazón, cuando el SEÑOR tu Dios los haya echado de delante de tu presencia, diciendo: Por mi justicia me ha metido el SEÑOR a heredar esta tierra; pues por la impiedad de estos gentiles el SEÑOR los echa de delante de ti

5 No por tu justicia, ni por la rectitud de tu corazón entras a heredar la tierra de ellos; mas por la impiedad de estos gentiles el SEÑOR tu Dios los echa de delante de ti, y por confirmar la palabra que el SEÑOR juró a tus padres Abraham, Isaac, y Jacob

6 Por tanto, sepas que no por tu justicia el SEÑOR tu Dios te da esta buena tierra que la heredes; que pueblo duro de cerviz eres tú

7 Acuérdate, no te olvides que has provocado a ira al SEÑOR tu Dios en el desierto; desde el día que saliste de la tierra de Egipto, hasta que entrasteis en este lugar, habéis sido rebeldes al SEÑOR