Deuteronomy 32:37

37 He'll say, "Where are their gods now? Where is the rock they went to for safety?

Deuteronomy 32:37 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:37

And he shall say, where [are] their gods?
&c.] Not the Lord shall say to Israel, upbraiding them with their idols and their idolatries; but, as the Targum of Jonathan,

``the enemy shall say, where is the God of Israel?''

and to the same purpose is, the Jerusalem Targum, and which is the sense of other Jewish writers F23; and the words may be rendered impersonally, and in the singular number, "and it shall be said, where is their God?" as it follows,

[their] rock in whom they trusted?
that is, it shall be said to the people of God, when in the low estate before described, and which will make it still more distressing; it shall be said to them by their enemies in a sneering way, where is the Lord their God they boasted of, and the rock of salvation in whom they trusted? which agrees with other passages of Scripture, ( Psalms 42:3 Psalms 42:10 ) ( 79:10 ) ( Micah 7:9 ) . The persons insulted and upbraided are the Protestant witnesses at the time of their being slain; when "they that dwell upon the earth", the Papists, "shall rejoice over them", ( Revelation 11:10 ) ; they are such who are true believers in the God and Father of Christ, as their God and Father in Christ, who of his own free grace has blessed them with all spiritual blessings in him; and who trust in Christ the rock alone for justification before God, for acceptance with him, and for their whole salvation; rejecting the Popish notion of justification by works, the doctrines of merit, and of works of supererogation, and the like; who now will be taunted at, and triumphed over, saying, where is the God of the Protestants they gloried in, as being on their side? and where is their rock on which they say the church is built, and not on Peter?


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Aben Ezra & R. Nehemiah in Jarchi in loc.

Deuteronomy 32:37 In-Context

35 I punish people. I will pay them back. The time will come when their feet will slip. Their day of trouble is near. Very soon they will be destroyed."
36 The LORD will judge his people. He'll show tender love to those who serve him. He will know when their strength is gone. He'll see that no one at all is left.
37 He'll say, "Where are their gods now? Where is the rock they went to for safety?
38 Where are the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices? Where are the gods who drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up to help you! Let them keep you safe!
39 "Look! I am the One! There is no other God except me. I put some people to death. I bring others to life. I have wounded, and I will heal. No one can save you from my powerful hand.
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