Our senior high Sunday school class has been studying the book of Ecclesiastes this quarter. And when their teacher was gone last week, I filled in for him. I had been asked to help them write a song about the book — something to help them remember what the book is all about. So that’s what we did last Sunday morning.

Whenever I look at a passage or book, I feel most comfortable when I know the main idea. Why was this written? How can I summarize it well. Ecclesiastes is an interesting study but there is no doubt about it’s theme, or rather conclusion. The last two verses of chapter twelve spell out the conclusion:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.

Our first step was to write a chorus about the book. And what would be more appropriate than this conclusion? We talked about the significant points made in the conclusion and the message in the rest of the book as well. Although the teens were more inclined to humor that morning, we did come up with a couple poems for the chorus:

Those who don’t keep God’s commands
Will be judged by God’s hands
And to those who don’t fear God’s reign
Their life shall certainly be vain

Seeing my life as a very short vapor
My duty becomes a little more clear
God soon will judge all my words, thoughts, and actions
With this conclusion my God I will fear