Deuteronomy 31:6 Commentary, For the Lord your God Goes with You
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6, KJV
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV
6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, ESV
6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, NKJV
6 Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them: for Jehovah thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6, ASV
6 Do manfully and be of good heart: fear not, nor be ye dismayed at their sight: for the Lord thy God he himself is thy leader, and will not leave thee nor forsake thee.
Moses is encouraging the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. After a long and arduous journey, the torch is being passed to a new generation and they must shortly face dangers and tribulations head-on. He urges them to “Be strong and courageous” not only physically, but most importantly, spiritually.
This verse reassures the Israelites that they can always rely on God to help them and to keep them safe. He can be trusted to go before them and lead them through whatever challenges they may face.
They can trust in God’s protection and provisions, even when things seem impossible.
Interpretation
This verse is often quoted as a source of encouragement, particularly when facing difficult circumstances. The meaning of the verse is twofold:
Firstly, it is a reminder that God is always with us, even when things are tough.
Secondly, it is a call to action, urging us to be brave and to face our challenges head-on.
When we trust in God’s presence and strength, we can overcome anything that comes our way.
God is our helper and our shield. He is the one who goes before us and helps us in our time of need. He is also our protector, shielding us from harm. There is a strength in our faith that cannot be measured by physical feats, and in our time of need, there is a type of strength and courage that can only be found through God and His son Jesus Christ.
Context
The book of Deuteronomy was written by Moses as a farewell address to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. In it, Moses reviews the history of their journey from slavery in Egypt to the brink of the Promised Land.
In the preceding verses, Moses warns the Israelites that they will soon be entering into battle against a powerful enemy. He tells them that they will be fighting a great enemy and urges them to be brave and trust in God’s power at their side.
The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said. And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you.
Deuteronomy 31:3-5, NIV
They had spent forty years wandering in the wilderness, and now they were about to cross over into the Promised Land. This new phase would undoubtedly be full of challenges, and so Moses wanted to remind the Israelites that they could trust in God’s faithfulness. Also knowing that his time was coming to an end, he instructs Joshua “Go with these people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto thy fathers, and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.”
Moses reassures the Israelites that God will be with them always, even when he is gone.
Correlation
This verse is a reminder to have faith even when times are tough because God will always be with us. It is a popular verse that is often quoted by people who are going through difficult times.
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10, ESV
We should not be afraid of what lies ahead, even when we feel alone and afraid, we can rest assured that God is with us, and He will never leave us.
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
Psalm 48:14, NIV
Application
This verse is a reminder that we are never alone, and that God is always with us. It is easy to be afraid when we are faced with difficult situations, but this verse reminds us that we can trust in God’s strength and courage. When we put our faith in Him, He will never leave us or forsake us.
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Psalm 55:22, NIV
Let Deuteronomy 31:6 also remind us that God fulfills his promises.
When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you – a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant – then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Deuteronomy 6:10-12, NIV
“Be strong and courageous.” This is excellent advice for facing the challenges of life. After all, courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the ability to face our fears and overcome them. When we are faced with difficult circumstances, we can call on God for strength and courage. He will give us the strength to endure and the courage to overcome.
And when we have faced our fears and come out victorious, we will be a source of strength and courage for others who are facing challenges of their own.
