A verse, in context
Deuteronomy 31:6, Be Strong and Courageous
"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) is a beloved verse for any daunting moment. Its original setting is a nation about to enter a hostile land, and the courage rests on God's presence.
“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
How it is often used
How it is often used. This verse is often used as a general boost of confidence for any challenge: a new venture, a hard conversation, a scary decision. "Be strong and courageous" becomes a self-empowerment line, sometimes with the accent on our own bravery. The truth it carries, that God is present and does not forsake His people, is real and deeply comforting, and it rightly steadies believers facing hard things. But the popular use can detach the courage from its ground, making it about mustering inner strength rather than about the God who goes with us. In its setting the command is given to Israel on the edge of entering Canaan, facing real and formidable enemies, and the entire basis of the courage is the promise that the LORD Himself goes before and with them and will never fail or forsake them.
The passage around it
The passage around it. Moses is near the end of his life, and Israel stands ready to cross into the promised land without him. He is handing leadership to Joshua and preparing the people for the conquest ahead, against nations they had every reason to fear. Moses says to all Israel, "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" (v6). Then he calls Joshua and repeats it to him directly: "Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them... And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed" (vv7-8). The courage is commanded precisely because God's presence is promised; the reason clause, "for the LORD thy God... doth go with thee," is the foundation of the whole exhortation.
What it actually means, and where it leads
What it actually means, and where it leads. The command to be strong and courageous is not a call to self-generated bravado; it is grounded entirely in the promise of God's presence. Israel could face fearsome enemies without terror because the LORD Himself would go before and with them and would never fail or forsake them. The courage flows from the companion, not from the self. This is why the promise, "he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee," is the heart of the verse, and it is echoed and applied to all believers in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," as a ground for contentment and confidence. It leads to Christ, Immanuel, God with us, whose parting promise was, "lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). So the verse does give courage, but a courage rooted in the unfailing presence of God rather than in our own strength. We are brave because He goes with us.
Questions people ask
Who was this verse first spoken to?
Moses spoke it to all Israel, and then to Joshua, as the nation prepared to enter Canaan and face formidable enemies without him. It was a charge for the conquest ahead, grounded in the promise of God's presence.
Is the courage based on my own strength?
No. The reason given is "for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee." The command to be courageous rests entirely on God's presence and His promise never to fail or forsake His people, not on self-generated bravery.
Does this promise apply to Christians today?
The promise that God will never leave nor forsake His people is applied to believers in Hebrews 13:5, and Jesus, Immanuel, promised to be with His people always. So the courage it gives is available in Christ, still rooted in God's presence rather than our own strength.