John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 26:17

"Thou hast avouched Jehovah this day to be thy God, and that thou wouldest walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and hearken unto his voice:" — Deuteronomy 26:17 (ASV)

You have avouched the Lord²³¹. He shows them from the consequence that nothing can be better or more desirable for them than to embrace God’s Law; for nothing can be more honorable to ourselves than to give God His due honor and to exalt His glory to its due preeminence.

Moses declares that if the Israelites submit themselves to the Law, this will be, as it were, to place Him in His rightful dignity. He also promises that the fruit of it will return to them, because God, on His part, will exalt them, so that they will far excel all other nations, as it is said in Isaiah (Isaiah 8:13–14), Sanctify the Lord of hosts — and he shall be for a sanctuary.

For He desires to be glorified by us in no other way than to make us, in turn, partakers of His glory. Thus, Moses gently entices them to receive the Law, because their solid happiness consists in this pious duty, if they altogether devote themselves to obedience.

But this excellence of the Church, although it shines forth in the world, is still hidden from the blind, and, since it is spiritual, only obtains its praise before God and the angels.

²³¹ Thou hast exalted, etc — Lat.