4:1-10 The privileges we have under the gospel, are greater than any had under the law of Moses, though the same gospel for substance was preached under both Testaments. There have been in all ages many unprofitable hearers; and unbelief is at the root of all unfruitfulness under the word. Faith in the hearer is the life of the word. But it is a painful consequence of partial neglect, and of a loose and wavering profession, that they often cause men to seem to come short. Let us then give diligence, that we may have a clear entrance into the kingdom of God. As God finished his work, and then rested from it, so he will cause those who believe, to finish their work, and then to enjoy their rest. It is evident, that there is a more spiritual and excellent sabbath remaining for the people of God, than that of the seventh day, or that into which Joshua led the Jews. This rest is, a rest of grace, and comfort, and holiness, in the gospel state. And a rest in glory, where the people of God shall enjoy the end of their faith, and the object of all their desires. The rest, or sabbatism, which is the subject of the apostle's reasoning, and as to which he concludes that it remains to be enjoyed, is undoubtedly the heavenly rest, which remains to the people of God, and is opposed to a state of labour and trouble in this world. It is the rest they shall obtain when the Lord Jesus shall appear from heaven. But those who do not believe, shall never enter into this spiritual rest, either of grace here or glory hereafter. God has always declared man's rest to be in him, and his love to be the only real happiness of the soul; and faith in his promises, through his Son, to be the only way of entering that rest.And in this place again - Psalm 95:11.

If they shall enter - That is, they shall not enter; see the notes at Hebrews 3:11. The object of quoting this here seems to be two-fold:

(1) To show that even in this Psalm God spoke of "his" rest, and said that they should not enter into it; and,

(2) it is connected with Hebrews 4:6, and is designed to show that it was implied that a rest yet remained. "That which deserves to be called "the divine rest" is spoken of in the Scriptures, and as "they" did not enter into it, it follows that it must be in reserve for some others, and that the promise must still remain."

5. in this place—In this passage of the Psalm again, it is implied that the rest was even then still future. And in this place again: kai here is not so much copularive, connecting an instance of David to the same purpose of that of Moses about the seventh day’s rest from the creation; but discretive, joining an instance of another rest of God different from the seventh day’s rest. Moses spake of this, but David here of a further rest; for in Psalm 95:11, David spake not of the seventh day, but of God’s last and eternal rest.

If they shall enter into my rest; ei here is affirmative, as appears by comparing Hebrews 4:3 and Hebrews 4:6, that these shall have a real and full possession in the future after David’s time of this rest, and therefore different from Moses’s rest so long past before. The word rest in the Hebrew is not the same in the text of Moses and David; Genesis 2:2,3, it is tbv in Psalm 95:11, ythwnm this of David noting the full, eternal, comfortable rest of souls in glory, sworn by God to believers in the gospel.

And in this place again,.... In Psalm 95:11 he speaks again of another rest distinct from that on the seventh day; which, and not the latter, is what believers under the Gospel dispensation enter into:

if they shall enter into my rest: that is, unbelievers shall not enter into it; as the unbelieving Israelites did not enter into the typical rest, so neither shall any unbeliever enter into the Gospel rest, the antitype of the former.

And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.