Deuteronomy 32:2
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Divine teaching comes down gently and steadily like rain and dew and soft showers on young plants and grass to bring life, nourishment, refreshment, growth and fruitfulness to all who receive it. It stands at the opening of the song Moses spoke in the hearing of all Israel, calling heaven and earth to listen as he proclaims the Lord's name and calls for greatness to be ascribed to God. It makes known God as the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are just, a God of truth without iniquity, just and right, while exposing the corruption of those who turn from Him. This refreshing word rests only on the humble and teachable heart that sits to learn the way of life more perfectly, not on the proud mind that sits to cavil and oppose, and a conscience clear before God quickens the mind as dew waters young plants. Those who would share it must therefore let their words fall gently like dew and still showers on withering plants, speaking truth in love with kindness and unselfish deeds, trusting God and His Spirit to carry it to the heart for the reforming of the life.
Image and Song Setting
Doctrine falls and speech distils gently and steadily like rain and dew and small showers upon tender plants and grass to give life, nourishment, refreshment, growth and fruitfulness to those who receive it. The teaching is life-giving instruction descending from above as rain descends to tender herbs and grass, refreshing and sustaining what it touches. Its words reveal love for the people and abhorrence of sin, with swift judgment following persistent rebellion, while conveying the divine name and calling hearers to acknowledge greatness. That response is linked to appreciation and obedience of Christ's words, by which the character cultivated is brought into the judgment.
The verse belongs to Moses' song spoken in the hearing of all Israel near the close of the book, calling heaven and earth to hear as he publishes the Lord's name and calls for greatness to be ascribed to God. It joins encouragement for obedience with plain warning of judgment for disobedience, giving refreshing instruction about God as the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right. The song embodies truths about God's dealings with Israel, recounting the past and foreshadowing future events including the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes. It rehearses past dealings and future events together with providential care, deliverance, goodness and mercy so that history would be preserved and remembered.
The song was commanded to be formed from Israel's history, taught to all Israel and sung often so its truths would become familiar and remain in young and old. It was to be memorized, taught to children, sung in worship and repeated in daily work. The words of direction and commandment were sung to music while marching in the wilderness travels to make them solemn and impressive, keeping God's precepts continually before the people. In this way it served as a continual sermon to warn, restrain, reprove and encourage.
God's Character Proclaimed
The gentle falling of teaching like rain and dew nourishes tender plants and grass, and in that nourishment the name of the Lord is published with a call to ascribe greatness to God. The opening verses are to be repeated often to turn hearers to trust in God instead of leaning on the deceitful human heart, on earthly plans, or on human wisdom that disregards His commands. The surrounding declaration presents Him as the Rock whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and true and right. Against that perfection is set the corruption of those who turn from Him, so that Israel's corruption is exposed and the people are called to remember His care and heed His instruction.
The same song joins encouragement to obedience with plain warning of judgment for disobedience, revealing love for His people together with abhorrence of sin. Persistent rebellion is followed by swift judgment. Appreciation for and obedience to the words of Christ shapes the character that persons cultivate, and that character is brought into the judgment. Speech itself is therefore to be devoted to God's service and to the honoring of His name.
Receiving and Sharing Truth
The gracious teaching drops as rain and distils as dew upon the heart of the humble and teachable who sit to learn the way of life more perfectly. It is not given to one who sits as a judge to cavil and question and find fault and oppose. Pride must give way to humility and prejudice be exchanged for candor, or the words are in vain to the hearer. Inward peace and a conscience clear before God quickens and invigorates the intellect the way dew waters young plants.
True doctrine drops quietly as dew to refresh the earth through gentle, unpretentious teaching in homes. Reading the Bible and opening the truths of salvation and Christ and Him crucified to households is carried by hearers to others in outlying towns and hamlets. Finding entrance to both castle and cabin, it lays the foundation of churches that yield fearless witnesses for the truth, as seen when Calvin's words refreshed his hearers. Words of truth and wisdom refresh and nourish others like dew and gentle rain on tender plants, and golden words spoken by lives transformed by God can help others walk the path to heaven.
Those seeking to win men from error are to let words fall gently like dew and still showers upon withering plants. They are to speak with unselfishness and kindness and courtesy, showing true goodness in unselfish deeds, without impatience at ignorance or waywardness, hasty speech, thoughtless action, or lack of courtesy that closes doors to hearts. God's plan is first to reach the heart, so truth is to be spoken in love while trusting Him to give it power for reforming the life. The Holy Spirit will apply to the soul the word that is spoken in love. In working cities preaching is to let the Word draw people to truth and lift up Jesus rather than relying on excitement or display, with humble workers guided by the Holy Spirit as the means through whom this teaching reaches souls.