Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 32:6/אור החיים על דברים ל״ב:ו׳

1 הלה׳ תגמלו זאת, "Is this the way you repay the Lord?" The reason Moses employs the term גמול, "compensation," [something that does not really apply in our relationship with G'd. Ed.] is that instead of our going out of our way by showing appreciation for what G'd has done for us we do the very reverse.

2עם נבל ולא חכם, "a nation which is vile and unwise!" Why does the Torah contrast two characteristics which are not opposites? Vileness is not the opposite of lack of wisdom! Moses means that even though they may be a vile people by nature, if at least they possessed some wisdom they would not display their vileness vis-a-vis G'd! The vile recognises that the fact that he is vile is to his detriment and therefore he would not display such a trait.

3This is more or less what Moses meant when he added: הלא הוא אביך קונך, "Isn't G'd the One Who is your father and the One Who owns you?" Moses makes 4 distinctions here. 1) Seeing that G'd created man, he calls G'd "your father." 2) He acquired all of us as His slaves when He took us out of bondage in Egypt, and revived us in the desert and brought us to the Holy Land, a land full of goodness. This then is the meaning of קנך. 3) He awarded us an additional and superior gift, i.e. His Presence amongst us and the availability of prophets in our midst. This is what Moses meant when he said הוא עשך, "He has made you." G'd has added a new element to your life, something no other living beings enjoy. 4) He has equipped us with an automatic entrance card to the hereafter, life's main arena. How could even a vile nation be prepared to jeopardise all these advantages unless they were foolish also?