Clarke's Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 4:9
Verse 9. Only take heed to thyself] Be circumspect and watchful. Keep thy soul diligently] Be mindful of thy eternal interests. Whatever becomes of the body, take care of the soul.
Lest thou forget] God does his work that they may be had in everlasting remembrance; and he that forgets them, forgets his own mercies. Besides, if a man forget the work of God on his soul, he loses that work.
Lest they depart from thy heart] It is not sufficient to lay up Divine things in the memory, they must be laid up in the heart. Thy word have I hidden in my heart, says David, that I might not sin against thee. The life of God in the soul of man can alone preserve the soul to life everlasting; and this grace must be retained all the days of our life. When Adam fell, his condition was not meliorated by the reflection that he had been once in paradise; nor does it avail Satan now that he was once an angel of light.
Those who let the grace of God depart from their hearts, lose that grace; and those who lose the grace, fall from the grace; and as some have fallen and risen no more, so may others; therefore, take heed to thyself, &c. Were it impossible for men finally to fall from the grace of God, exhortations of this kind had never been given, because they would have been unnecessary, and God never does an unnecessary thing.
But teach them thy sons] If a man know the worth of his own soul, he will feel the importance of the salvation of the souls of his family. Those who neglect family religion, neglect personal religion; if more attention were paid to the former, even among those called religious people, we should soon have a better state of civil society. On family religion God lays much stress; and no head of a family can neglect it without endangering the final salvation of his own soul. See the note at the conclusion of Gen. xviii., and that at the end of Gen. xix., and see the note on "chap. vi. 7".
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. Only take heed to thyself , etc.] To walk according to this law, and not swerve from it: and keep thy soul diligently ; from the transgressions and breaches of it: lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen ; either the statutes and judgments set before them, and the circumstances of the delivery of them; or the punishment inflicted on the breakers of them; or the favours bestowed on those that observed them: and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life ; out of thy mind and memory, and have no place in thy affections, through a neglect and disuse of them: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons ; their children and grandchildren, that they may be trained up in them in their youth, and so not depart from them when grown up, and in years; (see Deuteronomy 6:7).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-23 - The power and love of God to Israel are here made the ground and reaso of a number of cautions and serious warnings; and although there is much reference to their national covenant, yet all may be applied to those who live under the gospel. What are laws made for but to be observed and obeyed? Our obedience as individuals cannot meri salvation; but it is the only evidence that we are partakers of the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ, Considerin how many temptations we are compassed with, and what corrupt desires we have in our bosoms, we have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright, who walk carelessly. Moses charge particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry. He shows how weak the temptation would be to those who thought aright; for these pretende gods, the sun, moon, and stars, were only blessings which the Lor their God had imparted to all nations. It is absurd to worship them shall we serve those that were made to serve us? Take heed lest y forget the covenant of the Lord your God. We must take heed lest at an time we forget our religion. Care, caution, and watchfulness, are help against a bad memory.
Original Hebrew
רק 7535 השׁמר 8104 לך ושׁמר 8104 נפשׁך 5315 מאד 3966 פן 6435 תשׁכח 7911 את 853 הדברים 1697 אשׁר 834 ראו 7200 עיניך 5869 ופן 6435 יסורו 5493 מלבבך 3824 כל 3605 ימי 3117 חייך 2416 והודעתם 3045 לבניך 1121 ולבני 1121 בניך׃ 1121
