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Deuteronomy 8:17-18 on Humility and Gratitude in Prosperity

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 warns the Israelites against the spiritual dangers of prosperity, urging them to remember God as the source of their blessings. The passage states:

"And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day" (Deuteronomy 8:17-18 KJV).

This passage is part of a larger exhortation from Moses to the Israelites as they stand on the cusp of entering the Promised Land [9]. Moses reminds them of their forty years in the wilderness, a period designed to humble them and test their obedience to God's commands [7]. The overarching theme of Deuteronomy 8 is a warning against forgetting God once they experience the abundance of the land [7].

The core of the warning in verses 17-18 addresses the human tendency to attribute success and wealth to one's own efforts rather than to divine provision [7]. The phrase "My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth" encapsulates this self-congratulatory attitude. This mindset is contrasted sharply with the command to "remember the Lord thy God," who is explicitly identified as the one who "giveth thee power to get wealth" [7].

The concept of humility is central to understanding this passage. Humility is presented in biblical thought as a state of mind pleasing to God, preserving tranquility, and fostering patience in trials [3]. Christ himself is presented as an example of humility [3, 5]. Conversely, haughtiness and pride, which can arise from attributing success solely to oneself, are seen as leading to failure [6]. The passage implies that forgetting God's role in prosperity is a form of ingratitude, a characteristic often associated with the wicked in scripture [4].

The purpose of God giving the power to get wealth is "that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers" (Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV). This connects the material blessings directly to God's faithfulness to His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Prosperity, such as abundant grain and new wine, was often seen as a tangible sign of God's blessing in ancient Israel [11]. However, this blessing was not an end in itself but a means to fulfill the covenant.

The passage emphasizes that true wealth and honor come from God and are often linked with righteousness and enduring happiness [1, 10]. While worldly wealth can be a temporary prize, respect and lasting reward are associated with graciousness and humility [8]. The wisdom literature, particularly Proverbs, frequently highlights the connection between humility and honor, stating that "humility is before honour" (Proverbs 15:33 KJV) and that humility leads to riches, honor, and life [2].

Therefore, Deuteronomy 8:17-18 serves as a crucial reminder that all blessings, especially material prosperity, originate from God. It calls for a continuous attitude of gratitude and humility, recognizing divine sovereignty in all aspects of life, and guarding against the pride that can accompany success [7]. This principle extends beyond ancient Israel, offering a timeless lesson on the spiritual dangers of self-reliance in times of abundance.

Sources

  1. King James Version “[KJV] Proverbs 8:18 — Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Humility — Necessary to the service of God -- Mic 6:8. Christ an example of -- Mt 11:29; Joh 13:14,15; Php 2:5-8. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 34:2. The who have Regarded by God. -- Ps 138:6; Isa 66:2. Heard by God. -- Ps 9:12; Isa 10:17. Enjoy the presence of God. -- Isa 57:15. Delivered by God. -- Job 22:29. Lifted up by God. -- Jas 4:10. Exalted by God. -- Lu 14:11; 18:14. Are greatest in Christ's kingdom. -- Mt 18:4; 20:26-28. Receive more grace. -- Pr 3:34; Jas 4:6. Upheld by honour. -- Pr 18:12; 29:23. Is before honour -- Pr 15:33. Leads to riches, honour, ”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Humility — A prominent Christian grace (Rom. 12:3; 15:17, 18; 1 Cor. 3:5-7; 2 Cor. 3:5; Phil. 4:11-13). It is a state of mind well pleasing to God (1 Pet. 3:4); it preserves the soul in tranquillity (Ps. 69:32, 33), and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22). Christ has set us an example of humility (Phil. 2:6-8). We should be led thereto by a remembrance of our sins (Lam. 3:39), and by the thought that it is the way to honour (Prov. 16:18), and that the greatest promises are made to the humble (Ps. 147:6; Isa. 57:15; 66:2; 1 Pet. 5:5). It is a "great paradox in Ch”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ingratitude — A characteristic of the wicked -- Ps 38:20; 2Ti 3:2. Often exhibited By relations. -- Job 19:14. By servants. -- Job 19:15,16. To benefactors. -- Ps 109:5; Ec 9:15. To friends in distress. -- Ps 38:11. Saints should avoid the guilt of -- Ps 7:4,5. Should be met with Prayers. -- Ps 35:12,13; 109:4. Faithfulness. -- Ge 31:38-42. Persevering love. -- 2Co 12:15. Punishment of -- Pr 17:13; Jer 18:20,21. Exemplified Laban. -- Ge 31:6,7. Chief butler. -- Ge 40:23. Israel. -- Ex 17:4. Men of Keilah. -- 1Sa 23:5,12. Saul. -- 1Sa 24:17. Nabal. -- 1Sa 25:5-11,21. ”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Humility of Christ, The — Declared by himself -- Mt 11:29. Exhibited in his Taking our nature. -- Php 2:7; Heb 2:16. Birth. -- Lu 2:4-7. Subjection to his parents. -- Lu 2:51. Station in life. -- Mt 13:55; Joh 9:29. Poverty. -- Lu 9:58; 2Co 8:9. Partaking of our infirmities. -- Heb 4:15; 5:7. Submitting to ordinances. -- Mt 3:13-15. Becoming a servant. -- Mt 20:28; Lu 22:27; Php 2:7. Associating with the despised. -- Mt 9:10,11; Lu 15:1,2. Refusing honours. -- Joh 5:41; 6:15. Entry into Jerusalem. -- Zec 9:9; Mt 21:5,7. Washing his disciples' feet. -- Joh 13:5. Obedi”
  6. Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 18:12: 18:12 Haughtiness cultivates pride. It leads to failure because it does not allow for change in the face of criticism. Humility learns from others and leads to the honor of success.”
  7. Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 8:1: 8:1-20 Once Israel inhabited the land, they might have the human tendency to take credit for the blessings that followed. Moses warned the people to guard against a self-congratulatory attitude. God alone is the source of all prosperity and achievement.”
  8. Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 11:16: 11:16 Respect is the great and lasting reward of being gracious, while wealth is the lesser and temporary prize of being ruthless (see also 10:2; 11:18).”
  9. Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 8 (introduction): AN EXHORTATION TO OBEDIENCE. (Deu. 8:1-20) All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live--In all the wise arrangements of our Creator duty has been made inseparably connected with happiness; and the earnest enforcement of the divine law which Moses was making to the Israelites was in order to secure their being a happy (because a moral and religious) people: a course of prosperity is often called "life" (Gen 17:18; Pro 3:2). live, and multiply--This reference to the future increase of th”
  10. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 8:18: durable riches . . . righteousness--Such are the "riches," enduring sources of happiness in moral possessions (compare Pro 3:16).”
  11. Zechariah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Zechariah 9:17: 9:17 abundant grain . . . new wine: Agricultural prosperity was a tangible sign of God’s blessing (see Joel 2:19; Amos 9:13; cp. Hag 1:11).”
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