Bird's-eye view
The Preacher, having established that God is sovereign over all the vanities under the sun, now turns to some intensely practical applications. These verses are a tight cluster of realism, dealing with the nature of true strength, the universal reality of sin, and the folly of being thin-skinned. Solomon is not writing for idealists who live in a world of cotton candy clouds and theological abstractions. He is writing for men and women with dirt under their fingernails, who live in a world populated by other sinners. The central theme here is a call to a robust, godly wisdom that is clear-eyed about the world as it actually is, not as we might wish it to be. This wisdom is stronger than brute force, acknowledges its own sinfulness, and is therefore not easily offended by the sins of others. It is a wisdom that breathes the air of the gospel, because it knows its desperate need for it.
In this section, Solomon connects the power of wisdom (v. 19) to the universal reality of sin (v. 20). These two are not disconnected thoughts. The reason wisdom is so powerful is precisely because it understands the landscape of a fallen world. A wise man is not surprised by sin, either in himself or in others. This leads directly to the practical counsel about not taking every word to heart (v. 21). A man who knows his own heart (v. 22) is not going to be devastated when he discovers the predictable sinfulness of another's heart, particularly as it is expressed in their words. This is a portrait of sanctified realism, a spiritual toughness that is the fruit of true humility.
Outline
- 1. The Strength of True Wisdom (v. 19)
- 2. The Universal Diagnosis of Sin (v. 20)
- 3. The Wisdom of Not Eavesdropping (v. 21)
- 4. The Self-Awareness of a Sinner (v. 22)
Context In Ecclesiastes
These verses sit within a larger section of Ecclesiastes (chapters 7-8) where Solomon is offering a series of proverbial observations and instructions on how to live skillfully in a world that is, as he has exhaustively demonstrated, "hevel" or vapor. He has already warned against the extremes of self-righteousness and wickedness (7:16-17) and urged his readers to fear God. The verses here continue this line of practical, godly counsel. They are not disconnected aphorisms but rather build upon one another. The strength mentioned in verse 19 is the kind of strength needed to live in the world described in verse 20, a world where everyone, without exception, sins. And the personal application of this universal truth is what enables a person to follow the advice of verses 21-22, to not be overly sensitive to the slights and curses of others because we know we are guilty of the same.
Clause-by-Clause Commentary
v. 19 Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten men with power who are in a city.
The Preacher begins with a startling comparison. He sets up a contest between two kinds of strength. On one side, you have worldly power, raw strength, political clout. He pictures ten rulers, a significant number representing a fullness of civic authority, bunkered down in a fortified city. They have the walls, the weapons, the manpower. On the other side, you have one wise man. And the wise man, Solomon says, is stronger. This is not wishful thinking; it is a statement of fact. True wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord, provides a strategic advantage that brute force can never overcome. A wise man understands tactics, timing, human nature, and most importantly, the purposes of God. The ten rulers might have the might to knock down a wall, but the wise man knows how to persuade the guards to open the gate from the inside. This is the story of history, over and over again. Think of Daniel in Babylon, or Joseph in Egypt. Their strength was not in the sword, but in the wisdom given to them by God. This is a foundational principle for the Christian life. We are not called to conquer by the world's methods of power politics and coercion, but by the profound and enduring strength of godly wisdom.
v. 20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
This is one of the clearest statements of the doctrine of total depravity in the Old Testament. Solomon connects this verse to the previous one with the word "Indeed," or "For." The strength of wisdom is rooted in this unflinching realism about the human condition. Why is the wise man so strong? Because he is not naive. He does not operate under the illusion that people are basically good. He knows that "there is not a righteous man on earth." Not one. The language is absolute. This man he describes is one who "continually does good" and "never sins." This is the standard of perfect righteousness, and no one meets it. This is not just saying that everyone makes a few mistakes. It is a fundamental statement about our nature. Sin is not an occasional accident for us; it is our native air. This verse is a wrecking ball to any and all forms of self-righteousness. It levels the ground at the foot of the cross, for as Paul would later argue so forcefully in Romans, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). The wise man knows this about himself first, and so he is not shocked to find it true of others.
v. 21 Also, do not give your heart to all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your slave cursing you.
Here is the practical outworking of the previous two verses. If wisdom is stronger than raw power, and if everyone is a sinner, then what should our posture be toward the words of others? Solomon's advice is blunt: "do not give your heart to all words." Don't be an eavesdropper. Don't press your ear to every wall. Don't read all your press clippings, or in our day, all your social media comments. Why? Because if you listen closely enough to what everyone is saying, you are guaranteed to hear something you do not like. He uses the example of a slave cursing his master. This was a shocking thing in that culture, a deep sign of disrespect. But Solomon's point is that it is also predictable. The slave is a sinner, just like the master. If you make it your life's mission to monitor every word spoken about you, you will live in a constant state of agitation and offense. Wisdom, therefore, cultivates a kind of sanctified resilience, a thick skin that is not the product of cynicism, but of humility. The man who knows he is a sinner (v. 20) is not undone when he is treated like one.
v. 22 For your heart also knows that you likewise have many times cursed others.
Solomon drives the point home by turning the camera around. Why shouldn't you be devastated to overhear your slave cursing you? "For your heart also knows..." He appeals to the man's own conscience. You know perfectly well that you have done the same thing. Maybe not to your boss, but you have "cursed others." You have had bitter, resentful, slanderous thoughts and words about other people. Your own heart is a witness against you. This is the great cure for a touchy, defensive, easily-offended spirit. The cure is a good memory and an honest conscience. When someone sins against you with their words, you should not be surprised, and you should be quick to forgive, because you know the rock from which you were hewn. You have a log in your own eye, which should make you far less frantic about the speck in your brother's. This is the gospel in shoe leather. We, who have been forgiven an insurmountable debt by God, are to be people who freely forgive the petty debts of others. A man who truly understands his own sinfulness before a holy God is a man who cannot be easily scandalized by the sins of his neighbor.
Application
The application of this passage is direct and cuts to the heart of our daily interactions. First, we are to pursue true, biblical wisdom above all other forms of power or influence. The world chases after political power, financial strength, and social status. The Christian is to chase wisdom, knowing that it is a fortress and a high tower, stronger than any earthly authority. This wisdom is found in the fear of the Lord and in the diligent study of His Word.
Second, we must internalize the truth of our own sinfulness. This is not a call to morbid introspection or self-hatred, but to a healthy, gospel-shaped realism. When we know ourselves to be sinners saved by grace, we are liberated from the exhausting work of pretending to be righteous on our own. This humility is the foundation for all healthy relationships.
Finally, we must learn to be less sensitive. In an age of perpetual outrage, where everyone is looking for a reason to be offended, the Christian should be a rock of stability. We should not be listening at every keyhole, scrolling through every comment thread, seeking out insults. And when insults inevitably come, we should be quick to absorb them and forgive them, remembering the countless times our own hearts have produced the very same kind of sinful speech. A humble man is a secure man. He knows he is a great sinner, but that Christ is a great Savior. And that knowledge makes him strong, stable, and hard to offend.