Bible Strands
Ecclesiastes 5:20
For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The speaker addresses those who have received God’s provision of wealth and labor, concluding a reflection on accepting one’s portion. The remark follows directly from the declaration that rejoicing in one’s work is a divine gift.
The words — לֹא (lo') = not and יִזְכֹּר (yiz.kor) = he will remember form the core phrase, literally stating that a person rarely dwells on the duration of his days. This negation highlights how divine occupation replaces anxious calculation.
The thread — This theme of divinely sustained contentment in labor appears in Psalms 37:16, Isaiah 65:13, and Isaiah 65:21, where God’s provision guarantees the enjoyment of one’s work and contrasts with human deprivation.
Why it lands — The text states that God occupies a person with the joy of his heart, suspending preoccupation with life’s brevity. It asks the reader to accept present provision without calculating future security, treating enjoyment as a direct result of divine action rather than personal achievement.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
Cross-references
- Psalms 37:16 Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked.
- Isaiah 65:13 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
- Isaiah 65:21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
- Psalms 4:6 Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.
- Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Deuteronomy 28:8 The LORD will decree a blessing on your barns and on everything to which you put your hand; the LORD your God will bless you in the land He is giving you.
- Deuteronomy 28:47 Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance,
- Isaiah 64:5 You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?
- Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.