Ecclesiastes Chapter 5

Jun 2

Ecclesiastes 5

Reverent Worship

Ecclesiastes 5 moves from Solomon’s observations about oppression, labor, companionship, and fame into a serious warning about reverence before God. This chapter begins with worship, speech, vows, and the fear of God, then turns again to oppression, bureaucracy, wealth, materialism, the uncertainty of riches, and the proper enjoyment of God’s gifts. The uploaded notes emphasize that worship must be careful, humble, obedient, and restrained, and that wealth must be viewed honestly because riches cannot satisfy, cannot secure the soul, and cannot be carried beyond death.

Ecclesiastes 5:1

“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God,and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools:for they consider not that they do evil.”

Solomon now gives practical instruction about worship. “Keep thy foot” means to walk carefully, thoughtfully, and reverently when approaching the house of God. A man must not come before God casually, carelessly, arrogantly, or thoughtlessly. Worship begins before a man ever opens his mouth. It begins with the heart, the mind, the posture of submission, and the recognition that God is holy.

The instruction to be “more ready to hear” is critical. True worship is not first about man speaking to God, but man humbling himself before God’s Word. In Scripture, hearing often includes obedience. To hear rightly is to receive, submit, and act. Solomon says it is better to draw near to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools. The fool may be religious, active, talkative, emotional, and externally involved in worship, but he does not listen, and therefore he does evil without understanding it.

1 Samuel 15:22, KJV: “And Samuel said,Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,as in obeying the voice of the LORD?Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

Samuel’s words give the same principle. God is not impressed by religious activity when the heart refuses obedience. Sacrifice without obedience becomes hypocrisy. Worship without submission becomes foolishness. A man may sing, pray, speak, give, and serve, yet if he refuses to hear and obey God, he is offering the sacrifice of fools.

This warning is needed in every generation. Men often come to worship with their minds filled with business, worry, pride, personal preferences, entertainment expectations, or self display. Solomon says, walk carefully. The house of God is not a theater, social club, political stage, or place for empty religious noise. It is the place where man must humble himself before the Lord.

Habakkuk 2:20, KJV: “But the LORD is in his holy temple:let all the earth keep silence before him.”

Reverent silence before God is not spiritual weakness. It is wisdom. The man who knows God is holy does not rush into His presence with careless speech.

Ecclesiastes 5:2

“Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God:for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth:therefore let thy words be few.”

Solomon now warns against rash speech before God. Man must not be hasty with his mouth or careless with his heart. This applies to prayer, vows, worship, teaching, testimony, promises, and every form of speech directed toward God. Words spoken before God matter.

The reason is theological, “for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth.” God is exalted. Man is lowly. God is eternal. Man is temporary. God is holy. Man is sinful. God knows all things. Man knows little. Therefore, the wise man speaks humbly and carefully before Him.

This does not mean believers should never pray at length. Scripture includes long prayers, deep laments, repeated petitions, and extended praise. The issue is not the number of words by itself, but careless, proud, empty, thoughtless, or performative speech. Solomon is warning against religious blabbering, not sincere prayer.

Matthew 6:7, KJV: “But when ye pray,use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

Matthew 6:8, KJV: “Be not ye therefore like unto them:for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

Jesus gives the same warning. The heathen think many words force divine attention. Biblical prayer rests in the character of God. The believer does not need to manipulate God with excessive speech. He comes as a child before the Father, reverently, honestly, and faithfully.

James 1:19, KJV: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren,let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

This principle applies especially before God. The wise man listens before he speaks. He weighs his words. He does not use worship to display himself. He remembers that God is in heaven and he is upon earth.

Ecclesiastes 5:3

“For a dream cometh through the multitude of business;and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.”

Solomon compares excessive activity with excessive speech. A dream comes through the multitude of business, meaning that a mind overwhelmed with activity often produces restless dreams. In the same way, a fool’s voice is known by many words. The fool exposes himself by speaking too much.

This verse warns that much speech can be spiritually empty. Many words do not prove wisdom. Many religious words do not prove reverence. A man may talk constantly about God and yet lack fear of God. He may pray loudly, speak often, and use spiritual vocabulary, but if his words are careless, proud, or disconnected from obedience, they reveal folly.

Proverbs 10:19, KJV: “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin:but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”

Proverbs 17:27, KJV: “He that hath knowledge spareth his words:and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.”

Proverbs 17:28, KJV: “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace,is counted wise:and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”

Scripture consistently teaches restraint in speech. This is especially true in worship. The man who fears God does not feel the need to fill every silence with his own voice. He knows that God’s Word is weightier than his words.

Ecclesiastes 5:4

“When thou vowest a vow unto God,defer not to pay it;for he hath no pleasure in fools:pay that which thou hast vowed.”

Solomon now turns from speech generally to vows specifically. A vow is a solemn promise made before God. Solomon says that when a man vows a vow unto God, he must not delay to pay it. God has no pleasure in fools. A broken vow is not a small mistake. It is sin.

This warning is especially important because religious emotion often produces promises that are not carefully considered. A man may promise God something during fear, sickness, financial distress, conviction, excitement, or public worship, then later treat the promise lightly. Solomon says this is foolish. God takes vows seriously.

Deuteronomy 23:21, KJV: “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God,thou shalt not slack to pay it:for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee;and it would be sin in thee.”

Psalm 15:1, KJV: “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”

Psalm 15:2, KJV: “He that walketh uprightly,and worketh righteousness,and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

Psalm 15:4, KJV: “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned;but he honoureth them that fear the LORD.He that sweareth to his own hurt,and changeth not.”

The righteous man keeps his word, even when it costs him. This is because God is a covenant keeping God, and His people should be truthful and faithful. A vow made to God should never be treated as disposable.

Ecclesiastes 5:5

“Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.”

Solomon states the matter plainly. It is better not to vow than to vow and fail to pay. God does not require rash promises. A man should not try to impress God with dramatic commitments that he has not counted the cost to fulfill.

This does not mean vows are always wrong. Scripture records lawful vows. Marriage itself includes solemn covenant commitment before God. The issue is carelessness. The man who makes promises to God must mean what he says and do what he promises.

Matthew 5:33, KJV: “Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,Thou shalt not forswear thyself,but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:”

Matthew 5:34, KJV: “But I say unto you, Swear not at all;neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:”

Matthew 5:37, KJV: “But let your communication be,Yea, yea; Nay, nay:for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”

Jesus teaches that a believer’s ordinary speech should be truthful enough that elaborate oath making is unnecessary. The principle is not that all solemn commitments are forbidden, but that God’s people must be people of integrity. Their yes should mean yes, and their no should mean no.

Ecclesiastes 5:6

“Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin;neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error:wherefore should God be angry at thy voice,and destroy the work of thine hands?”

Solomon warns that the mouth can cause the flesh to sin. Words are not harmless. A careless vow can bring a man into guilt. He must not later say before the messenger, or before the representative of God’s house, “It was an error.” In other words, he must not excuse broken vows as if they were merely technical mistakes.

The warning is serious, “wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?” God may discipline a man for careless vows and false religious speech. The work of his hands may suffer because he treated God lightly.

Numbers 30:2, KJV: “If a man vow a vow unto the LORD,or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond;he shall not break his word,he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.”

Proverbs 20:25, KJV: “It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy,and after vows to make enquiry.”

It is dangerous to make a vow and only afterward consider what it means. The wise man thinks before speaking. The fool speaks first and looks for excuses later.

This verse also has broader application. A man’s mouth can lead him into sin through false promises, exaggeration, manipulation, boasting, flattery, anger, gossip, and religious hypocrisy. The tongue must be governed by the fear of God.

James 3:5, KJV: “Even so the tongue is a little member,and boasteth great things.Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

James 3:6, KJV: “And the tongue is a fire,a world of iniquity:so is the tongue among our members,that it defileth the whole body,and setteth on fire the course of nature;and it is set on fire of hell.”

The tongue is small, but it can do great damage. Ecclesiastes 5 calls for disciplined, reverent speech before God.

Ecclesiastes 5:7

“For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities:but fear thou God.”

Solomon summarizes the issue. Many dreams and many words often produce vanity. Religious imagination, restless activity, empty promises, and excessive speech can all become vapor. The answer is simple and weighty, “but fear thou God.”

The fear of God is the stabilizing principle. It restrains careless worship. It humbles speech. It makes vows serious. It teaches obedience. It keeps a man from treating God as common. The fear of God is not emotional panic. It is reverent submission before the holy Creator and Judge.

Proverbs 9:10, KJV: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13, KJV: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:Fear God, and keep his commandments:for this is the whole duty of man.”

Ecclesiastes 5:7 anticipates the conclusion of the entire book. The proper answer to vanity is not more talk, more pleasure, more money, or more ambition. The answer is to fear God.

Ecclesiastes 5:8

“If thou seest the oppression of the poor,and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province,marvel not at the matter:for he that is higher than the highest regardeth;and there be higher than they.”

Solomon now turns again to oppression and injustice. He says that if a man sees the poor oppressed and justice violently perverted, he should not marvel at the matter. This does not mean he should approve of it or become indifferent to it. It means he should not be shocked as if fallen men and corrupt systems were incapable of such evil.

Life under the sun includes bureaucratic corruption, layered authority, political self protection, and officials watching officials. Those in power may exploit their position. Higher officials may cover lower officials, or lower officials may hide behind higher authority. Solomon understood that systems can become instruments of oppression.

Isaiah 10:1, KJV: “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees,and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;”

Isaiah 10:2, KJV: “To turn aside the needy from judgment,and to take away the right from the poor of my people,that widows may be their prey,and that they may rob the fatherless!”

God condemns unjust systems and corrupt rulers. When laws, courts, agencies, and authorities are used to crush the poor or pervert justice, God sees. Solomon’s realism is not cynicism. It is sober recognition that fallen men in power can create layers of injustice.

The phrase “he that is higher than the highest regardeth” may also point beyond human bureaucracy to God Himself, the One above all earthly authorities. Even if corrupt men protect one another, there is a higher Judge over them all.

Psalm 82:1, KJV: “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty;he judgeth among the gods.”

Psalm 82:2, KJV: “How long will ye judge unjustly,and accept the persons of the wicked?Selah.”

Psalm 82:3, KJV: “Defend the poor and fatherless:do justice to the afflicted and needy.”

Psalm 82:4, KJV: “Deliver the poor and needy:rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”

Earthly judges and rulers answer to God. Their authority is not absolute.

Ecclesiastes 5:9

“Moreover the profit of the earth is for all:the king himself is served by the field.”

Solomon observes an irony of life. Even the king depends on the field. No matter how powerful the ruler, no matter how complex the bureaucracy, no matter how high the official, the land and the laborer remain essential. The king is served by agriculture, by the field, by ordinary labor, and by the provision God brings from the earth.

This humbles political and social pride. The highest man still depends on the lowest forms of labor. The king may wear a crown, but he still eats food grown from the ground. The powerful may imagine themselves self sufficient, but they are dependent on God’s created order and the labor of ordinary men.

Genesis 8:22, KJV: “While the earth remaineth,seedtime and harvest,and cold and heat,and summer and winter,and day and night shall not cease.”

Psalm 104:14, KJV: “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,and herb for the service of man:that he may bring forth food out of the earth;”

God sustains life through ordinary means. Agriculture, labor, rain, soil, seasons, and harvest are gifts of providence. This is a strong reminder that no man, not even a king, is independent of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:10

“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver;nor he that loveth abundance with increase:this is also vanity.”

Solomon now turns to wealth. This verse is one of the clearest statements in Scripture about the dissatisfaction of materialism. The man who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver. The man who loves abundance will not be satisfied with increase. The problem is not merely money. The problem is the love of money.

Money can buy goods, services, comfort, options, and influence, but it cannot satisfy the soul. The appetite for wealth grows as it is fed. The man who believes one more increase will satisfy him is deceived. If he loves silver, more silver will not cure him. It will deepen the craving.

1 Timothy 6:9, KJV: “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare,and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

1 Timothy 6:10, KJV: “For the love of money is the root of all evil:which while some coveted after,they have erred from the faith,and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Paul does not say money itself is the root of all evil. He says the love of money is the root of all evil. Solomon had more wealth than most men could imagine, yet he understood that wealth cannot satisfy a heart made for eternity.

Luke 12:15, KJV: “And he said unto them,Take heed,and beware of covetousness:for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

A man’s life is not measured by the abundance of his possessions. Ecclesiastes 5:10 tells the truth that every materialist eventually discovers, if he is honest. More is never enough when the heart loves increase.

Ecclesiastes 5:11

“When goods increase, they are increased that eat them:and what good is there to the owners thereof,saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”

Solomon adds another problem with wealth. When goods increase, those who consume them also increase. More wealth brings more expenses, more dependents, more obligations, more management, more expectations, and more people wanting a share. The owner may possess more, but the practical profit may be less than he imagined.

At the end, Solomon asks what good remains to the owner except looking at his wealth with his eyes. A rich man may behold his possessions, but he cannot fully consume or enjoy them all. He may own more than he can use. He may guard more than he can enjoy. He may become a steward of burdens rather than a recipient of blessing.

Proverbs 23:4, KJV: “Labour not to be rich:cease from thine own wisdom.”

Proverbs 23:5, KJV: “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?for riches certainly make themselves wings;they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

Riches are unstable. They may increase, but they also attract consumers and can disappear quickly. The wise man does not build his life on them.

Ecclesiastes 5:12

“The sleep of a labouring man is sweet,whether he eat little or much:but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”

Solomon contrasts the laboring man and the rich man. The laboring man sleeps sweetly, whether he eats little or much. His work tires his body, and his simpler life may allow him rest. The rich man, however, may lose sleep because of abundance. Wealth brings concerns, risks, enemies, decisions, taxes, investments, theft, lawsuits, family disputes, and fear of loss.

This does not mean every poor man sleeps well or every rich man sleeps poorly. Solomon is giving a general observation. Wealth often promises peace but delivers anxiety. The man with less may sleep better than the man with more.

Psalm 127:2, KJV: “It is vain for you to rise up early,to sit up late,to eat the bread of sorrows:for so he giveth his beloved sleep.”

Sleep is a gift from God. A man may have wealth and no rest. Another may have modest means and peace. The issue is not merely economic status, but the condition of the heart before God.

Proverbs 3:24, KJV: “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:yea, thou shalt lie down,and thy sleep shall be sweet.”

True rest belongs to the man who trusts the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 5:13

“There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.”

Solomon now describes a sore evil, riches kept for the owner’s hurt. Wealth can harm the one who possesses it. This happens when riches are hoarded, idolized, guarded with anxiety, used selfishly, or trusted as security. A man may think he owns his wealth, when in reality his wealth owns him.

Riches kept with a clenched fist can harden the heart. They can produce pride, fear, greed, suspicion, and spiritual blindness. The owner may become less generous, less dependent on God, less compassionate, and more enslaved to preservation.

Mark 10:23, KJV: “And Jesus looked round about,and saith unto his disciples,How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”

Mark 10:24, KJV: “And the disciples were astonished at his words.But Jesus answereth again,and saith unto them,Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!”

The issue is trust. Wealth becomes spiritually dangerous when a man trusts it, serves it, or uses it to insulate himself from dependence upon God.

Ecclesiastes 5:14

“But those riches perish by evil travail:and he begetteth a son,and there is nothing in his hand.”

Solomon then observes that riches can perish through misfortune. Wealth may vanish through bad decisions, disaster, theft, war, market collapse, disease, corrupt partners, foolish ventures, or circumstances beyond control. A man may intend to leave something to his son, yet there may be nothing left in his hand.

This exposes the uncertainty of wealth. Men often imagine money as solid and dependable, but Solomon calls that illusion vanity. Riches may be gathered over years and lost quickly. A man who builds his identity on wealth is fragile because his god can disappear.

Proverbs 11:28, KJV: “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall:but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.”

James 5:1, KJV: “Go to now, ye rich men,weeping and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”

James 5:2, KJV: “Your riches are corrupted,and your garments are motheaten.”

James 5:3, KJV: “Your gold and silver is cankered;and the rust of them shall be a witness against you,and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”

Riches are not eternal. They can perish, corrupt, and testify against a man who hoarded them wickedly.

Ecclesiastes 5:15

“As he came forth of his mother's womb,naked shall he return to go as he came,and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.”

Solomon states one of the great leveling truths of human life. A man enters the world naked and leaves the world unable to carry anything in his hand. He may accumulate wealth, property, clothing, titles, tools, lands, accounts, and possessions, but death strips him of all earthly ownership.

This verse is blunt and necessary. Death exposes the temporary nature of material success. The man who lives only for accumulation is laboring for what he cannot keep.

Job 1:21, KJV: “And said,Naked came I out of my mother's womb,and naked shall I return thither:the LORD gave,and the LORD hath taken away;blessed be the name of the LORD.”

1 Timothy 6:7, KJV: “For we brought nothing into this world,and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

The believer must learn to hold possessions with an open hand. God gives, God takes away, and man carries nothing out. This does not mean possessions are meaningless when used rightly. It means they are not ultimate.

Ecclesiastes 5:16

“And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go:and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?”

Solomon presses the conclusion. If a man leaves as he came, what profit has he if he labored for the wind? Wealth gathered only for earthly security becomes wind. It cannot be held forever. It cannot be taken beyond death. It cannot redeem the soul.

This is not an attack on work, savings, inheritance, or wise stewardship. Scripture commends diligence and provision. The issue is laboring for wind, spending one’s life chasing what cannot last.

Matthew 6:19, KJV: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,where moth and rust doth corrupt,and where thieves break through and steal:”

Matthew 6:20, KJV: “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

Matthew 6:21, KJV: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Jesus gives the answer to Solomon’s problem. A man cannot take earthly treasure with him, but he can lay up treasure in heaven by living for God, giving generously, serving faithfully, and ordering his life toward eternity.

Ecclesiastes 5:17

“All his days also he eateth in darkness,and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.”

Solomon describes the misery of the man who lives for wealth and loses it, or who possesses it without peace. He eats in darkness. His days are marked by sorrow, wrath, and sickness. Wealth did not deliver him from misery. It may have intensified it.

This verse reminds us that riches do not protect a man from sorrow, anger, disease, loneliness, fear, or death. The rich man may eat better food, but still eat in darkness. He may have more comforts, but less comfort. He may own more, but enjoy less.

Proverbs 13:7, KJV: “There is that maketh himself rich,yet hath nothing:there is that maketh himself poor,yet hath great riches.”

Revelation 3:17, KJV: “Because thou sayest,I am rich,and increased with goods,and have need of nothing;and knowest not that thou art wretched,and miserable,and poor,and blind,and naked:”

A man may be rich in possessions and poor in soul. Ecclesiastes teaches that material abundance without God is darkness.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

“Behold that which I have seen:it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink,and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life,which God giveth him:for it is his portion.”

After exposing the dangers and limits of wealth, Solomon returns to the proper enjoyment of God’s gifts. It is good and fitting for a man to eat, drink, and enjoy the good of his labor during the life God gives him. This is his portion.

This is not worldly indulgence. It is humble reception. Food, drink, work, provision, rest, and ordinary blessings are good when received from God’s hand. The problem is not enjoyment. The problem is idolatry. Solomon is teaching a disciplined, thankful enjoyment of life without pretending that earthly gifts can provide eternal meaning.

1 Timothy 4:4, KJV: “For every creature of God is good,and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:”

1 Timothy 4:5, KJV: “For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

The believer should not despise God’s ordinary gifts. He should receive them with thanksgiving and sanctify them by the Word of God and prayer.

Ecclesiastes 5:19

“Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth,and hath given him power to eat thereof,and to take his portion,and to rejoice in his labour;this is the gift of God.”

Solomon recognizes that riches and wealth may be given by God, and the ability to enjoy them is also given by God. This is important. Having wealth and being able to enjoy wealth are not the same thing. A man may have riches but no peace, no health, no gratitude, no contentment, no family harmony, and no spiritual life. Another man may have less but enjoy his portion with thankfulness.

The power to enjoy one’s portion is a gift of God. Joy is not automatically produced by possession. Joy comes from God. This is why two men can have the same external circumstances and live entirely different lives inwardly. One receives his portion as a gift. The other clutches it as an idol.

Deuteronomy 8:17, KJV: “And thou say in thine heart,My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.”

Deuteronomy 8:18, KJV: “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God:for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth,that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

God gives the power to get wealth, and He gives the power to enjoy what He gives. Therefore, wealth must lead to gratitude, stewardship, generosity, and fear of God, not pride.

Ecclesiastes 5:20

“For he shall not much remember the days of his life;because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.”

Solomon concludes by saying that the man who receives his portion from God and rejoices in his labor will not be consumed by anxious reflection on the days of his life. God answers him with joy in his heart. This does not mean he never thinks seriously about life, death, judgment, or eternity. It means that God gives him a settled gladness that keeps him from being eaten alive by vanity, regret, fear, and restless striving.

The joy of the heart is a gift. It cannot be manufactured by money. It cannot be secured by possessions. It cannot be forced by entertainment. God gives it. The man who fears God, keeps his word, receives his portion, and enjoys God’s gifts rightly is preserved from much of the bitterness that consumes the materialist.

Psalm 16:11, KJV: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life:in thy presence is fulness of joy;at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Philippians 4:11, KJV: “Not that I speak in respect of want:for I have learned,in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

Philippians 4:12, KJV: “I know both how to be abased,and I know how to abound:every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry,both to abound and to suffer need.”

Philippians 4:13, KJV: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Paul learned the contentment Solomon commends. Whether abounding or lacking, the believer’s strength is in Christ.

Theological Summary of Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5 teaches that man must approach God reverently. Worship is not casual religious activity. The wise man keeps his foot when he goes to the house of God. He comes ready to hear, obey, and submit. He does not offer the sacrifice of fools through careless worship, empty ritual, or religious noise without obedience.

The chapter warns strongly against rash speech. God is in heaven, and man is upon earth. Therefore, man’s words should be few, thoughtful, truthful, and reverent. Many words often reveal folly, especially when they are spoken without fear of God. This applies to prayer, worship, vows, teaching, and all speech before the Lord.

Solomon also warns that vows must be taken seriously. It is better not to vow than to vow and not pay. God has no pleasure in fools. A man’s mouth can cause his flesh to sin when he promises what he does not fulfill. The correct posture is simple, “fear thou God.”

The chapter then returns to the problem of oppression and injustice. Solomon says that when the poor are oppressed and justice is violently perverted, man should not be shocked. Fallen systems often produce corrupt officials, layered bureaucracy, and abuse of power. Yet even kings depend upon the field, and all earthly authority remains dependent upon God’s providence.

Solomon then exposes the vanity of wealth. The man who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver. When goods increase, so do those who consume them. The laboring man may sleep sweetly, while the rich man is kept awake by abundance. Riches may be kept to the owner’s hurt. They may perish through misfortune. A man enters naked and leaves naked, carrying nothing in his hand. Therefore, wealth cannot provide ultimate meaning.

Yet Solomon does not teach hatred of God’s gifts. Food, drink, labor, riches, and the ability to enjoy one’s portion may all be gifts from God. The proper response is gratitude, contentment, reverence, stewardship, and joy before the Lord. The difference between vanity and blessing is whether man treats earthly things as idols or receives them as gifts from God.

Ecclesiastes 5 therefore calls man to reverent worship, careful speech, faithful vows, sober realism about injustice, freedom from the love of money, contentment in God’s provision, and joy in the portion God gives.