51 Be not unwise with your mouth, and let not your heart be quick to say anything before God, because God is in heaven and you are on the earth—so let not the number of your words be great. 2 As a dream comes from much business, so the voice of a foolish man comes with words in great number. 3 When you take an oath before God, put it quickly into effect, because he has no pleasure in the foolish; keep the oath you have taken.
4 It is better not to take an oath than to take an oath and not keep it. 5 Let not your mouth make your flesh do evil. And say not before the angel, It was an error. So that God may not be angry with your words and put an end to the work of your hands. 6 Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:1-6
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
(Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-3)
Address thyself to the worship of God, and take time to compose thyself for it. Keep thy thoughts from roving and wandering: keep thy affections from running out toward wrong objects. We should avoid vain repetitions; copious prayers are not here condemned, but those that are unmeaning. How often our wandering thoughts render attendance on Divine ordinances little better than the sacrifice of fools! Many words and hasty ones, used in prayer, show folly in the heart, low thoughts of God, and careless thoughts of our own souls.
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:4-8
(Read Ecclesiastes 5:4-8)
When a person made engagements rashly, he suffered his mouth to cause his flesh to sin. The case supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfil it. Such mockery of God would bring the Divine displeasure, which might blast what was thus unduly kept. We are to keep down the fear of man. Set God before thee; then, if thou seest the oppression of the poor, thou wilt not find fault with Divine Providence; nor think the worse of the institution of magistracy, when thou seest the ends of it thus perverted; nor of religion, when thou seest it will not secure men from suffering wrong. But though oppressors may be secure, God will reckon for all.