23 'And it cometh to pass as ye hear the voice out of the midst of the darkness, and of the mountain burning with fire, that ye come near unto me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders, 24 and say, Lo, Jehovah our God hath shewed us His honour, and His greatness; and His voice we have heard out of the midst of the fire; this day we have seen that God doth speak with man—and he hath lived. 25 'And, now, why do we die? for consume us doth this great fire—if we add to hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more—then we have died. 26 For who of all flesh 'is' he who hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire like us—and doth live? 27 Draw near thou, and hear all that which Jehovah our God saith, and thou, thou dost speak unto us all that which Jehovah our God speaketh unto thee, and we have hearkened, and done it. 28 'And Jehovah heareth the voice of your words, in your speaking unto me, and Jehovah saith unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee; they have done well 'in' all that they have spoken. 29 O that their heart had been thus to them, to fear Me, and to keep My commands all the days, that it may be well with them, and with their sons—to the age! 30 'Go, say to them, Turn back for yourselves, to your tents; 31 and thou here stand thou with Me, and let Me speak unto thee all the command, and the statutes, and the judgments which thou dost teach them, and they have done in the land which I am giving to them to possess it. 32 'And ye have observed to do as Jehovah your God hath commanded you, ye turn not aside—right or left; 33 in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you ye walk, so that ye live, and 'it is' well with you, and ye have prolonged days in the land which ye possess.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:23-33
Commentary on Deuteronomy 5:23-33
(Read Deuteronomy 5:23-33)
Moses refers to the consternation caused by the terror with which the law was given. God's appearances have always been terrible to man, ever since the fall; but Christ, having taken away sin, invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace. They were in a good mind, under the strong convictions of the word they heard. Many have their consciences startled by the law who have them not purified; fair promises are extorted from them, but no good principles are fixed and rooted in them. God commended what they said. He desires the welfare and salvation of poor sinners. He has given abundant proof that he does so; he gives us time and space to repent. He has sent his Son to redeem us, promised his Spirit to those who pray for him, and has declared that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners. It would be well with many, if there were always such a heart in them, as there seems to be sometimes; when they are under conviction of sin, or the rebukes of providence, or when they come to look death in the face. The only way to be happy, is to be holy. Say to the righteous, It shall be well with them. Let believers make it more and more their study and delight, to do as the Lord God hath commanded.