Deuteronomy 32:4, commentary and pictures

He is the unchanging foundation whose every act is complete and flawless, whose every dealing is fair and lawful, and whose nature is utterly faithful and free from all wrong or injustice. Moses was directed to set this truth in a sacred song to be learned and handed down, so that later generations would remember His goodness, care and deliverance. In that song His uprightness stands against the crookedness of a people who corrupted themselves and turned from the One who made and established them, and who by disobeying His plain word misrepresent Him and bring Him dishonor. To rest upon Him is therefore to stand on a secure footing where obedience brings safety and protection in trouble, in contrast to the deceitful human heart and human wisdom that cannot be trusted. His judgments upon Israel and upon every person are right and not failure on His part, and even through the ruin caused by sin His loving purposes will be fulfilled until all in the universe acknowledge His justice.

Song's Setting and Contrast

He is the Rock, His work is perfect, all His ways are judgment and just, and He is a God of truth without iniquity or wrongdoing, just and right. These words belong to a sacred song Moses was commanded to compose and teach to Israel, to preserve the memory of God's dealings with His people for later generations. That song was meant to keep the record of His goodness, mercy, care and deliverance, taught from parents to children so it would not be forgotten.

During the wilderness travels the law was repeated in song, and the people repeated it with measured steps to keep God's law and will continually before them. Its memorable melody impressed its warnings, restraint, reproof and encouragement upon both children and adults, making it a continual sermon. In this way it taught them to treat its precepts as sacred, with respect and unselfishness toward one another.

In the song this revelation of God stands against the corruption and crookedness of the people, who corrupted themselves and became perverse and unlike His children. They turned from the Father who bought them, made them and established them. When His people act against His plainly defined Word set out in Deuteronomy 32:1-6, they misrepresent His character and dishonor Him. The passage's warnings of judgment reveal His love for His people and His abhorrence of sin, and its warnings of swift judgment upon those who persist in rebellion made Josiah tremble for Judah's future.

Perfect Just and True

He is the Rock whose character endures forever, perfect in all that He does and just and true in all His ways. To stand upon Him is to stand upon what cannot move, for faith that truly lays hold of Him proves itself with power in the life. Keeping His commandments is the safe path, and in trouble those who keep them may lean upon Him and stand secure. Turning away from those commandments, which are life itself, is in effect to deny that He is God and that His people are His.

His judgments and all His dealings with Israel are therefore right, truthful, without wrong and wholly righteous. In contrast to a people who corrupted themselves and grew perverse and crooked, His righteousness remains unblemished. The scattering of Israel and the loss of their religious institutions came as the fulfillment of His own warning, not through any injustice or failure on His part. The judgment of every person rests upon that same foundation of perfect justice.

The song in which these words stand looks both backward and forward, recounting His past dealings with Israel and foreshadowing things to come. Its outlook reaches to the final victory of the faithful when Christ returns in power and glory. That perfect work embraces Christ's finished work of redemption, which will bring a restored creation and a redeemed people who have conquered sin and will never fall again. His rest in the tomb on the Sabbath stands joined forever to that completed, perfect work.

Even amid the darkness and ruin that sin has brought, His purposes of love and blessing will be accomplished. In the end every inhabitant of the universe, loyal and disloyal alike, will understand that His ways are just. He is a God of truth, so that falsehood and deception stand opposed both to who He is and to His righteous precepts.

He is also a God of justice and equity who sees every unequal dealing in wages and will surely call men to account for it. He marks it when some grasp high wages and receive double pay while bearing not half the burdens. He marks it when others, whose work is just as severe and taxing, are overworked and overwearied yet receive barely enough to sustain their families.

Building on the Rock

He is the Rock, and to build on Him is to build on a sure foundation where safety is found in Him alone. Keeping His commandments marks the path of safety, for He protects those who obey His commands. In trouble people can rely on Him and stand secure.

That call to trust stands against the unreliability of the human heart, which without His keeping power is deceitful and desperately wicked. Human methods cannot be relied on, nor can the wisdom of those who disregard His commandments. To plant one's feet on the Rock means to stand firmly on God, with a faith and religion that has power in the life. Since His commandments are life itself, to turn from them amounts to denying that He is God and that His people belong to Him.

Christ is the Rock of faith and the Rock of Israel's salvation. He is the sure foundation on which His church is built, so believers may depend on Him rather than on any human leader. Those who trust in Him are blessed.

He is man's eternal Rock, and feeble man who takes hold of His strength and leans upon Him receives strength and firmness to stand unmoved for truth against the power and greatness of earthly rulers. That dependence brings to naught the wisdom of sovereigns and professed wise men, and it gives majesty and power to witness. Opposition, rage, and threats then break harmless like a wave against rock.