Deut 32:40 Indeed, I Will Raise My Hand To Heaven And Say 'I Live Forever!' - 2025-11-6 - Initial draft podcast

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Transcript

Welcome to the InAllWisdom Podcast,
A daily podcast dedicated to wisdom for life.
I am Jim Donnelly, your host.
The title of today’s podcast is:
For I will raise My hand to Heaven and say I live forever

For each podcast about the song of Moses, I will read a single stanza or two. 
Which is like a paragraph, sometimes short, sometimes long.

Each stanza, or paragraph, contains strophes. Strophes are like turns of thought, or twists in conversation.  

These turns and twists of thought provide my podcast titles.   

Reading a whole paragraph of poetry, long or short, will help many readers who may know nothing about this song.  
And others who know some things will better understand this song. And see how a simple song communicates so much, so clearly. 

The Importance of Reading Consistently From a Single English Version

This consistent reading from a single English version of the Hebrew Bible will help us hear and better understand one of the longest songs in the Bible.  

Reading this song weekly, again and again, should bring the reader to a knowledge and understanding of what God has already done, is doing now, and will continue to do, until He returns on the clouds of the sky.

Let’s continue to learn some things about the song of Moses 

Allow me to read the seventh stanza. 

Deuteronomy Chapter 32:40-43

40 ‘Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, 
And say, as I live forever, 
41 If I sharpen My flashing sword, 
And My hand takes hold on judgment, 
I will render vengeance on My adversaries, 
And I will repay those who hate Me. 
42 ‘I will make My arrows drunk with blood, 
And My sword will devour flesh, 
With the blood of the slain and the captives, 
From the long-haired leaders of the enemy.’ 
43 “O nations, cause His people to shout for joy; 
For He will avenge the blood of His slaves, 
And He will render vengeance on His adversaries, 
And He will atone for His land and His people.”  

Legacy Standard Bible (Dt 32:40–43). (2022). 

For I will raise My hand to Heaven 

Many commentators see “I raise my hand to Heaven” as an oath formula, found here and in 2 Samuel 22:47.

However, I understand it as an exclamation, a shout of victory from Yahweh: “I am alive forever”. 
Also, in 2 Samuel 22:47 it seems clear that the exclamation: “Yahweh lives” is a shout of victory. 

Again, it is the poetic alignment of Hebrew words that reveals strong connections. There is a strong connection between the first words of 32:40 and the last words of 32:39. 
Barry Bandstra writes about these close connections. He understands it as clause combining grammar: A clause can be formally related to the preceding clause by conjunction-less juxtaposition. This is termed apposition. Or, a clause can be related to another clause by the use of an explicit conjunctive element such as וְ or כִּי. Bandstra, B. (2008). Genesis 1-11; A Handbook on the Hebrew Text (p. 22). Baylor University Press. 

The Hebrew of 32:30 and 32:40 employs both “location closeness” and “an explicit conjunction” to communicate with utmost clarity the truth that “Yahweh lives forever”. Here is what that looks like:

“And there is no one who can deliver from My hand. ‘Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, Legacy Standard Bible (Dt 32:39–40, LSB).

Further, there is a close connection between Deut 32:40 and 2 Samuel 22:47. Here is what that looks like:
“And say, I live forever” (Dt 32:40, LSB). 
“Yahweh lives,” (2 Samuel 22:47, LSB). 

Indeed, after King David shouts, “Yahweh Lives! he goes to exclaim many things that resonate with the Song of Moses. Here is what he speaks:  

Samuel 22:47-51

47 “Yahweh lives, and blessed be my rock; 
And let God, the rock of my salvation, be lifted high, 
48 The God who executes vengeance for me, 
And brings down peoples under me, 
49 Who also brings me out from my enemies; 
You even lift me above those who rise up against me; 
You rescue me from the violent man. 
50 “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Yahweh, among the nations, 
And I will sing praises to Your name. 
51 “He gives great salvation to His king, 
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, 
To David and his seed forever. 

Legacy Standard Bible (2 Samuel 22:47–51)

I think that is enough to ponder for now.

We have come to the end of today’s InAllWisdom Podcast. 
A daily podcast dedicated to wisdom for life. 

Thank you for listening! 

Please join me again for another interesting episode of Wisdom for Life.

Until he comes on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory, 
may
“Yahweh bless you, and keep you;
Yahweh make His face shine on you, 
And be gracious to you; 
Yahweh lift up His face on you, 
And give you peace.’”  

 Legacy Standard Bible (The Book of Numbers, 6:24–27, LSB).