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> “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning:
> and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
> Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry:
> for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”
> — Ecclesiastes 7:8–9 (KJV)
Here we are confronted with a principle that runs directly against our natural thinking. Human nature is impressed with beginnings—enthusiasm, excitement, first impressions. God, however, evaluates by endings. He is not taken in by early promise; He looks at final product.
The song simply repeats the words of Scripture. That in itself is significant. When you sing or speak these words, you are aligning your mind and spirit with an eternal law of God’s kingdom:
These verses touch three vital areas of spiritual life:
1. How God measures our lives and works (end vs. beginning).
2. The inner disposition God esteems (patient vs. proud spirit).
3. The emotional reactions that can enslave us (hasty anger vs. spiritual wisdom).
If we will submit to this passage, it will confront our pride, correct our expectations, and deliver us from the bondage of unholy anger.
Let us look at what the Word of God says—first in its context, then in its language, then in its application to our lives.
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Ecclesiastes is part of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The traditional author is Solomon, “the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). This is crucial. These are not the reflections of an inexperienced young man. They are the sober meditations of a man who had:
Solomon writes Ecclesiastes as one who has tested the limits of life “under the sun” (a key phrase in the book). He has reached the end of many roads—wealth, pleasure, projects, knowledge—and evaluated the outcome. His repeated verdict is “vanity,” which in Hebrew (hevel) means breath, vapor, transient, insubstantial.
Ecclesiastes 7 sits in a section where Solomon contrasts what is “better” (Hebrew: tov) with what is merely attractive or pleasant at first glance:
He is teaching us to think beyond surface impressions and immediate pleasures. He is training us to evaluate by outcome, by final result.
Verses 8–9 come in this flow. He moves from external comparisons to inner character:
The context is strongly corrective. Solomon is addressing people who are:
In that setting, the Holy Spirit declares:
> “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:
> and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
> Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry:
> for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” (7:8–9)
He is contrasting two kinds of people:
Solomon speaks as one who has seen the end of many paths. That is why he can say with authority: the end is more important than the beginning; patience is more valuable than pride; anger, if unrestrained, will mark a man as a fool.
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Let us look at two key words: “patient in spirit” and “angry.”
### 1) “Patient in spirit”
The phrase “the patient in spirit” in Ecclesiastes 7:8 is:
The phrase literally means “long of spirit” or “slow in spirit.” It is closely related to the description of God Himself:
> “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.”
> — Exodus 34:6
“Longsuffering” there is the same concept—slow to anger, slow to react, given to endurance rather than explosion.
So “patient in spirit” is not mere passive waiting. It is spiritual length—the capacity to endure pressure, delay, opposition, and apparent contradiction without breaking, without turning to anger or unbelief.
This is a God-like quality. When the verse says, “the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit,” it is saying:
is better than the person who exalts himself in independence.
### 2) “Angry”
In verse 9 we read:
> “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry:
> for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.”
“Angry” here uses the Hebrew root ka‘as. This word can mean:
It is more than a flash of emotion. It is an inner state—a settled irritation, a brooding resentment, a festering offense. That is why the verse says “anger rests in the bosom of fools.” The word “rests” (Hebrew: nuach) means to settle down, to remain, to abide.
The picture is powerful:
“Hasty in spirit” (Hebrew: bahal ruach) means “troubled, hurried, agitated in spirit.” So the Spirit of God is warning:
This helps us understand the lyrics. Every repetition of these lines is not mere poetry; it is warfare against pride and anger, and training for patient, God-like endurance.
---
The lyrics closely follow the text, repeating each part. We will take the themes in order:
1. The end vs. the beginning
2. The patient in spirit vs. the proud in spirit
3. Hasty anger vs. settled wisdom
### A. “The end of a thing is better than its beginning”
God’s evaluation is always based on completion.
Scripture is filled with this contrast:
On the other hand:
God’s dealings with us follow this pattern. He often begins in weakness, in smallness, in hiddenness:
> “For who hath despised the day of small things?”
> — Zechariah 4:10
The danger is to give up in the middle—when we do not see the outcome, when the process seems painful or confusing. Ecclesiastes 7:8 is a call to faith in God’s process. It says, in effect:
The New Testament confirms the same principle:
> “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
> — Philippians 1:6
> “We desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.”
> — Hebrews 6:11
Endurance is essential. Without it, we will never see the “better end” that God intends.
### B. “The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit”
Here we move from evaluation of events to evaluation of character.
The “proud in spirit” person is not necessarily someone who boasts loudly. Pride in Scripture is fundamentally:
The proud person insists: “I know best. I should not have to endure this. I have the right to be treated better. I deserve immediate justice or vindication.”
By contrast, the “patient in spirit” person is:
The patient in spirit has understood a central truth of Scripture:
> “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
> — James 4:6
Patience is a form of humility. It is the recognition: “God knows what He is doing. I do not see it yet, but I trust Him.”
God evaluates these two internal attitudes and says clearly: “better is the patient in spirit.”
Why is patience better?
1. Patience aligns us with God’s nature.
As we saw, God Himself is “longsuffering” (Exodus 34:6). The fruit of the Spirit includes “longsuffering” (Galatians 5:22). When you exercise patience, you are yielding to the Holy Spirit to form the character of Christ in you.
2. Patience guards us in spiritual warfare.
Much of Satan’s strategy depends on our impatience. He seeks to provoke us to act before God’s time, or apart from God’s word. This was the essence of the temptation of Jesus: to take shortcuts to glory without the cross.
3. Patience positions us to inherit promises.
Hebrews 6:12 says we are to imitate those “who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Faith alone, without patience, will not carry us to the fulfillment. Many believers lose their inheritance not because they do not believe, but because they do not endure.
Pride refuses this process. It says: “I will not wait. I will not submit. I will not endure.” That attitude automatically puts a person in opposition to God, because:
> “Only by pride cometh contention.”
> — Proverbs 13:10
Where there is ongoing strife—whether in a home, a church, or an individual heart—there is pride. The opposite of strife is the patient spirit that trusts God’s process.
### C. “Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools”
Here we come to the area where many believers need deliverance: anger.
The verse does not say “never feel anger.” Scripture acknowledges there is such a thing as righteous anger:
> “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
> — Ephesians 4:26
But Ecclesiastes 7:9 is speaking of a particular kind of anger:
Note the connection between the three statements in this passage:
1. Better is the end than the beginning.
2. Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
3. Do not be hasty in spirit to be angry.
Impatience and pride feed hasty anger. When I think I deserve better, when I cannot wait for God’s timing, when I insist on my own way—then anger is near at hand.
Anger “resting in the bosom” (Hebrew: cheq – lap, inner chest) describes a person whose inner life is dominated by unresolved anger. It has become:
The New Testament strongly warns against this:
> “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice…”
> — Colossians 3:8
> “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.”
> — Ephesians 4:31
Why is settled anger so dangerous spiritually?
1. It gives place to the devil.
In the very passage that says “be angry, and sin not,” Paul adds:
“Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27).
When anger is not dealt with quickly, it becomes an open door—legal ground for demonic oppression.
2. It blinds our judgment.
James writes:
“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).
You may start with a just concern, but if you move into the wrath of man, you will not produce God’s righteousness. You will be deceived about your own motives.
3. It poisons relationships.
Hebrews 12:15 warns of “any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Unresolved anger becomes a root that spreads defilement to many people.
So the command is: “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry.” That is, do not allow your inner man to be thrown into agitation and reaction. Cultivate a slow spirit—slow to speak, slow to wrath (James 1:19).
The song’s repetition of these lines turns them into a discipline. Every time you sing, “Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry,” you are training your own soul in self-government under the Holy Spirit. You are renouncing the folly of anger and choosing the wisdom of patience.
---
These verses are not just for analysis; they must govern our behavior. Let us consider clear, practical steps.
### Step 1: Adjust your expectation to God’s “end”
We must consciously renounce the world’s obsession with beginnings—impressions, quick results, visible success—and align ourselves with God’s concern for endings.
Proclamation you can use:
> “Lord, I choose to value the end more than the beginning. I refuse to be discouraged by small or difficult beginnings. I trust You to bring to completion what You have begun in me.”
### Step 2: Cultivate a “long spirit” (’erek ruach)
Patience is not automatic. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We must cooperate with Him:
1. Slow down internal reactions.
When pressure comes, deliberately pause. Refuse to react instantly. Say inwardly: “I will not be hasty in my spirit.”
2. Submit your timeline to God.
Pray specifically: “Lord, I surrender my deadlines, my expectations, my demand for quick results. Teach me Your pace.”
3. Endure with faith.
When you face delay, speak the word of God over it:
“Through faith and patience I inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12).
### Step 3: Renounce pride in your spirit
Pride is often hidden. It expresses itself in resentment, self-pity, and insistence on rights. To deal with it:
“Lord, I have believed I deserve better than this. I have resisted Your dealings. I have insisted on my own way. I confess this as pride.”
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
Patience in spirit cannot grow in a heart that clings to pride. You must choose: either pride in spirit or patience in spirit. You cannot have both.
### Step 4: Deal ruthlessly with hasty anger
If anger has “rested” in your bosom, you need decisive action.
1. Acknowledge the sin of hasty anger.
Do not excuse it as temperament, culture, or personality. Call it what God calls it—folly and sin.
2. Close any doors to the enemy.
Forgive those who have wronged you. Speak it out loud:
“In the name of Jesus, I forgive [name] for [specific offense]. I release them from my judgment.”
This breaks the hold of bitterness.
3. Reject anger as a resting place.
Say: “Anger, you will not rest in my bosom any longer. My heart is a resting place for the Holy Spirit, not for anger and resentment.”
4. Receive the peace of Christ.
Colossians 3:15 says: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” The word “rule” is like “act as umpire.” Allow Christ’s peace to decide what is allowed to stay in your heart.
As you practice this, the lyrics of the song can be a daily discipline—reminding, correcting, and strengthening you.
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### Proclamation
Speak this aloud, slowly and deliberately:
> I affirm today that God’s Word is true.
> Better is the end of a thing than its beginning.
> I refuse to judge God’s work in my life by appearances, by feelings, or by early results.
> I choose to trust Him for the outcome.
>
> In the name of Jesus, I renounce pride in my spirit.
> I reject the demand to have my own way, in my own time, by my own methods.
> I submit my life, my calling, my relationships, and my circumstances to the will and timing of God.
>
> I choose to be patient in spirit.
> By the Holy Spirit, I receive a “long spirit”—slow to anger, steady under pressure, willing to endure.
> I declare that the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit,
> and by God’s grace I will be counted among the patient, not the proud.
>
> I refuse to be hasty in my spirit to be angry.
> I will not allow anger to rest in my bosom.
> I close every door I have opened to anger, bitterness, and resentment.
> I forgive all who have wronged me, as God in Christ has forgiven me.
>
> My heart shall be a dwelling place for the peace of Christ,
> not a resting place for anger.
> I declare that in my life, in my character, and in my destiny,
> God will bring about a better end than the beginning,
> for His glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
### Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the author and finisher of our faith. You endured the cross, despising the shame, and You have now sat down at the right hand of God. You know what it means to start in weakness and end in glory.
I bring to You my life—its beginnings, its disappointments, its unfinished areas. I confess that often I have been impressed with beginnings and discouraged in the middle. I have doubted Your process. Forgive me.
Create in me a patient spirit. Holy Spirit, produce in me Your fruit of longsuffering. Teach me to wait without complaining, to endure without resentment, to trust without seeing.
I confess my pride. I have often insisted on my own way, my own timing, my own understanding. I lay down my pride at the cross. Clothe me with humility. Let the mind of Christ—who humbled Himself and was obedient unto death—govern my attitudes.
I bring to You my anger. Where anger has rested in my bosom, I ask You to uproot it. Shine Your light on every area of hidden bitterness, resentment, and offense. I choose to forgive. I release those who have hurt me. I ask You to close every door I have opened to the enemy through anger.
Lord, let Your peace rule in my heart. Let Your Word reshape my thinking. Make me a person whom You can trust with a good ending. Bring to completion the work You have begun in me, that in the day of Christ I may be found mature, steadfast, and faithful to the end.
I ask this in Your mighty name, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
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