Deuteronomy 10:21
He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to read "He is your praise" as simply meaning God is worthy of praise. But here, it's more profound: God isn't just the object of praise, but the very reason for Israel's honor and renown, the one who makes them praiseworthy through His mighty acts. This verse highlights that God's power on their behalf is the source of their unique glory among nations.
Just before this verse, Moses lists the fundamental requirements God has for Israel: to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him wholeheartedly, and keep His commands. He emphasizes God's immense love and goodness towards them, urging them to cling to Him and to show kindness to others. This verse then serves as a powerful affirmation of why they should do all these things, pointing back to God’s awesome, awe-inspiring actions that they themselves witnessed.
Why would anyone be ashamed to admit they follow God? This verse offers a radical perspective: God isn't just worthy of praise; He is the very reason we are honored.
The verse declares, 'He is your praise.' This means God is the object of our praise, the one we worship and adore. But it goes deeper.
God Makes Us Praiseworthy
Some ancient thinkers understood this phrase to mean God is the ground or cause of our praise-worthiness. When God chooses us, blesses us, and acts on our behalf, He bestows honor and dignity upon us. What we achieve on our own might fade, but the honor God gives is profound and lasting. It's an eternal privilege to be in His presence and be called His own.
The verse speaks of 'great and terrifying things' God has done. What does it mean for God's actions to be both 'great' and 'terrifying,' and why should Israel remember them?
The phrase 'great and terrifying things' refers to the powerful, awe-inspiring, and even frightening displays of God's might that the Israelites had witnessed firsthand.
Awe and Reverence
Think of the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, or the thundering voice from Mount Sinai. These weren't just 'big' events; they were designed to instill a deep sense of awe and holy fear. 'Terrifying' here doesn't mean merely scary; it points to the overwhelming power and holiness of God that commands reverence.
Why Remember?
Recalling these acts was crucial for Israel's identity and relationship with God. It served as a constant reminder of His power to save and to judge, reinforcing their covenant commitment and urging them to faithfulness. These memories weren't just historical facts; they were living testimony to God's active presence and sovereignty.
Understand the original words
tehillah · Hebrew Noun
The object of worship, adoration, and exultation. In Scripture, God is the supreme object of praise because of His nature and His redemptive acts on behalf of His people.
Elohim · Hebrew Noun
The sovereign Creator and Ruler of all, who enters into covenant relationship with His people. It signifies supreme authority, majesty, and the One to whom total allegiance is owed.
nora'ot · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Acts of divine intervention that evoke awe, reverence, and fear. In a biblical context, these often refer to miraculous deliverances or judgments that demonstrate God’s power over creation and human enemies.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Deuteronomy 10:21 by declaring 'The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation!' showing God as the source of praise and deliverance.
Psalm 106:21-22This psalm recounts God's mighty acts for Israel, calling them to remember 'how he forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea,' mirroring the 'great and terrifying things' mentioned in Deuteronomy.
Jeremiah 17:14This verse offers a prayer for healing that also speaks to God's nature as the source of hope and praise: 'Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.'
Romans 8:31Paul's rhetorical question, 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?', powerfully conveys the idea that God's presence and actions on behalf of His people are the ultimate reason for confidence and praise, much like the 'great and terrifying things' Israel had witnessed.
clarkeDeuteronomy 10:21: "He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen."
He is thy praise - It is an eternal honor to any soul to be in the friendship of God. Why are people ashamed of being thought religious? Because they know nothing of religion. He who knows his Maker may glory in his God, for without him what has any soul but disgrace, pain, shame, and perdition? How strange is it that those who fear God should be ashamed…
pooleDeuteronomy 10:21: "He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen."
Thy praise; either, 1. The object and matter of thy praise, as Exodus 15:2 , whom thou shouldst ever praise. Or rather, 2. The ground of thy praise, i.e. of thy praise-worthiness; he who makes thee honourable and glorious above those people whose God he is not.
It's easy to read "He is your praise" as simply meaning God is worthy of praise. But here, it's more profound: God isn't just the object of praise, but the very reason for Israel's honor and renown, the one who makes them praiseworthy through His mighty acts. This verse highlights that God's power on their behalf is the source of their unique glory among nations.
Just before this verse, Moses lists the fundamental requirements God has for Israel: to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him wholeheartedly, and keep His commands. He emphasizes God's immense love and goodness towards them, urging them to cling to Him and to show kindness to others. This verse then serves as a powerful affirmation of why they should do all these things, pointing back to God’s awesome, awe-inspiring actions that they themselves witnessed.
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Just before this verse, Moses lists the fundamental requirements God has for Israel: to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, serve Him wholeheartedly, and keep His commands. He emphasizes God's immense love and goodness towards them, urging them to cling to Him and to show kindness to others. This verse then serves as a powerful affirmation of why they should do all these things, pointing back to God’s awesome, awe-inspiring actions that they themselves witnessed.
"He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen." — It's easy to read "He is your praise" as simply meaning God is worthy of praise. But here, it's more profound: God isn't just the object of praise, but the very reason for Israel's honor and reno…
