Deuteronomy 9:1-6 - Warning Against Self-Righteousness

¹ Hear, Israel: thou goest over Jordan this day, to go and conquer nations greater and mightier than thyself: and cities great and walled up to heaven, ² and people great and tall, even the children of the Anakims, which thou knowest and of whom thou hast heard say, 'Who is able to stand before the children of Anak?' ³ Therefore shalt thou know this day, that the LORD thy God goeth over before thee, a consuming fire. He shall destroy them and shall subdue them before thee. And thou shalt cast them out, and bring them to nought quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee. ⁴ Speak not in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out before thee, saying, 'For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land.' Nay, but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth cast them out before thee. ⁵ It is not for thy righteousness' sake and right heart that thou goest to possess their land: But partly for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD thy God doth cast them out before thee, and partly to perform that which the LORD thy God sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ⁶ Understand therefore that it is not for thy righteousness' sake, that the LORD thy God doth give thee this good land to possess it, for thou art a stiff-necked people.