Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

[1] Remember  now thy Creator  in the days  of thy youth,  while the evil  days  come  not, nor the years  draw nigh,  when thou shalt say,  I have no pleasure  in them; [2] While the sun,  or the light,  or the moon,  or the stars,  be not darkened,  nor the clouds  return  after  the rain:  [3] In the day  when the keepers  of the house  shall tremble,  and the strong  shall bow  themselves, and the grinders  cease  and those that look out  of the windows  be darkened,  [4] And the doors  shall be shut  in the streets,  when the sound  of the grinding  is low,  and he shall rise up  at the voice  of the bird,  and all the daughters  of musick  shall be brought low;  [5] Also when they shall be afraid  of that which is high,  and fears  shall be in the way,  and the almond tree  shall flourish,  and the grasshopper  shall be a burden,  and desire  shall fail:  because man  goeth  to his long  home,  and the mourners  go about  the streets:  [6] Or ever  the silver  cord  or the golden  bowl  be broken,  or the pitcher  be broken  at the fountain,  or the wheel  broken  at the cistern.  [7] Then shall the dust  return  to the earth  as it was: and the spirit  shall return  unto God  who gave 

What does Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This pericope expands the ideas Solomon introduced in Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, by focusing on advancing old age and death. [1] These ideas are the ultimate frustration and the epitome of impermanence that we can experience.
The basic imperative12:1
Again, Solomon began with a clear statement of his point, and then proceeded to prove and illustrate its truth in the verses that follow. "Remember" means to live your life with what you know about God clearly in view, not just to remember that there is a God (cf. Ecclesiastes 11:9-10; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Deuteronomy 8:18; Psalm 119:55). "Creator" connotes God as the One to whom we are responsible because we are His creatures (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 3:19). The "evil days" are the days of old age and death (cf. Ecclesiastes 11:10; Ecclesiastes 12:2-5). [2]