Deuteronomy 9:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In this context, Moses urges the people not to elevate themselves.

In an effort to counteract the arrogance among the Israelites and to humble their inflated sense of self-worth, he emphasizes that the blessings they received were not earned through their own righteousness but were instead a result of God's love for their ancestors and His promises to them. He proclaims, "He will remember His covenant for ever." Similarly, at the threshold of the Israelites entering the promised land, Moses instructed them in their thoughts and speech. He cautioned Israel that when they constructed magnificent cities and gained wealth, they should not attribute these achievements to their own virtue but rather to the covenant established with their forefathers.

In the book of Deuteronomy, which revisits previous teachings, it is clearly indicated that our salvation does not stem from our deeds or righteousness but from God's grace. The Lord, through Moses, declared, “Search not thou in thine heart, when the Lord thy God shall consume these nations before thy face, saying, For my righteousness’ sake hath the Lord brought me in to inherit this good land. Not for thy righteousness’ sake, nor for the righteousness of thy heart, but for the wickedness and iniquity of these nations, will the Lord drive them out from before thee, and will establish the covenant which the Lord swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And be admonished this day, that it is not for the sake of thy righteousness that the Lord thy God giveth thee this good land to possess: for thou art a stiff-necked people.”

One who is just in spirit does not succumb to the pride of his own heart; he has accepted the wise guidance of the prophet encapsulated in these words: Do not think in your heart that when the Lord your God casts out these nations before you, it is on account of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me to possess this land, and that it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is removing them from your presence. It is not due to your righteousness, nor the righteousness of your heart, that you will inherit this land, but because of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord is driving them out before you, and to fulfill His covenant which He swore to your ancestors (Deuteronomy 9:4-5).

When the spirit is aware and responsive to the covenant, it gives rise to humility, understanding deep within and acknowledging that Israel draws its strength and fulfillment only from God; that it is not “for the sake of his righteousness, but for the sake of the excellency of his heart that he enters to inherit the land” (Deuteronomy 9:4-5); that it is neither his own might nor the strength of his own hand that has brought him power; rather, it is the Lord God who provides strength, stating, “He that giveth.... strength, thou shalt make strength” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). Those who forget the Lord and elevate their own hearts will face destruction (Deuteronomy 8:11, 14, 19).