Deuteronomy chapter 32

vs 1

Okay, so it's a fairly long song. I always think I'm a little ripped off that the poetry and songs in the Bible aren't easily transcribable into western music. Because being told "It's a song" is not quite the same as experiencing it as a song. Of course, it's not like the score or anything is recorded here, so we are reading it more or less the way they did, just we don't get a sense of cadence perhaps.

So apparently when you sing this song, you're singing it to the heavens and the earth. Pretty poetic.

vs 2

I have read a thing or two about Hebrew poetry, like when we were studying the psalms in Old Testament. This kind of repetition is a very normal thing for Hebrew writing. I can't remember all the formulae they used now.

For all that, what is the picture actually of? Teaching falling like rain - so that everyone gets it? So there's lots of it?

vs 3

At least that is pretty clear cut.

vs 4

Aha, we have a song for this verse. I don't think Rock refers to perfection or justice. Probably more immovability and stability. But hey, there might be a cultural thing that means rocks are just or perfect, or righteous? I mean, someone less idealistic could interpret this as "God is immobile, unreactive and useless", but of course then they'd find that it hurts getting hit by a rock.

vs 5

Who are they? It seems a terrible othering to say in verse 3 "I proclaim that God is great" and now, "But them? Oh, they suck." Perhaps the idea is that, by keeping to the words of this song, you will be the "I" and not the "they".

vs 6

The first claim is about God as creator - that you cannot repay him with foolishness and corruption because he made you, and deserves the respect of a father for that.

vs 7

This hearkening back to history - I'm not sure if it is a point on its own (God has a faithful record) or is still referring to creation (the idea that there is a creation myth prevalent with the Israelites is an interesting one).

vs 8

This is implied in the pentateuch, but I don't know if it is flat out stated before now. In any case, the obvious thing is that Israel has a portion and an inheritance (which is of course important for a people who have as yet had no land to call their own). But it also suggests that all other nations have something similar. Obviously some are about to lose it. So it is not an eternal inheritance.

vs 9

This is of course a poetic thing - I mean, who does God inherit from? But Israel is his special bit. He is designating it special to him.

vs 10

Almost like he found a puppy lost on the street, and took him in and hugged him and squeezed him and called him George.