18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.
18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;
18 And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,
18 And today God has reaffirmed that you are dearly held treasure just as he promised, a people entrusted with keeping his commandments,
18 Also today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments,
18 The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.
19 He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.
19 He sheweth his word
19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules
19 He speaks the same way to Jacob, speaks words that work to Israel.
19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
19 He has revealed his words to Jacob, his decrees and regulations to Israel.
(Read Psalm 147:12-20)
The church, like Jerusalem of old, built up and preserved by the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, is exhorted to praise him for all the benefits and blessings vouchsafed to her; and these are represented by his favours in the course of nature. The thawing word may represent the gospel of Christ, and the thawing wind the Spirit of Christ; for the Spirit is compared to the wind, John 3:8. Converting grace softens the heart that was hard frozen, and melts it into tears of repentance, and makes good reflections to flow, which before were chilled and stopped up. The change which the thaw makes is very evident, yet how it is done no one can say. Such is the change wrought in the conversion of a soul, when God's word and Spirit are sent to melt it and restore it to itself.
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God
17 If you're brought up Jewish, don't assume that you can lean back in the arms of your religion and take it easy, feeling smug because you're an insider to God's revelation,
17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.
(Read Romans 2:17-24)
The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud, vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the sins professors is, the dishonour done to God and religion, by their not living according to their profession. Many despise their more ignorant neighbours who rest in a dead form of godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally void of life and power, while some glory in the gospel, whose unholy lives dishonour God, and cause his name to be blasphemed.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 26:18
Commentary on Deuteronomy 26:16-19
(Read Deuteronomy 26:16-19)
Moses here enforces the precepts. They are God's laws, therefore thou shalt do them, to that end were they given thee; do them, and dispute them not; do them, and draw not back; do them, not carelessly and hypocritically, but with thy heart and soul, thy whole heart and thy whole soul. We forswear ourselves, and break the most sacred engagement, if, when we have taken the Lord to be our God, we do not make conscience of obeying his commands. We are elected to obedience, Titus 2:14. Holiness is true honour, and the only way to everlasting honour.