Who is able to stand? &c. That is, to minister before the ark, where the Lord is present. Since God is so severe to mark what is amiss in his servants, who is sufficient to serve him? They seem by this to have been made sensible of their rashness, and brought to acknowledge the holiness of God to be such that they were not worthy of his divine presence among them, and therefore they desired that the ark might be placed elsewhere. And to whom shall he go up from us? Who will dare to receive the ark with so much hazard to themselves? Thus when the word of God works with terror on men's consciences, instead of taking the blame to themselves, they frequently quarrel with the word, and endeavour to put it from them.
Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 6:20
1 Samuel 6:20
20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?