Matthew Henry Commentary Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

"And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth? Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?" — Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 (ASV)

Without the fear of the Lord, a person is merely vanity; if that is set aside, judges will not use their power well. And there is another Judge who stands before the door. With God there is a time for the redressing of grievances, though we do not yet see it. Solomon seems to express his wish that people might perceive that by choosing this world as their portion, they brought themselves to a level with the beasts, without being free, as beasts are, from present vexations and a future account.

Both return to the dust from where they were taken. What little reason we have to be proud of our bodies or bodily accomplishments! But just as no one can fully comprehend, so few properly consider the difference between the rational soul of a human being and the spirit or life of the beast. The human spirit goes upward to be judged, and is then fixed in an unchangeable state of happiness or misery. It is just as certain that the spirit of the beast goes downward to the earth; it perishes at death.

Surely their case is lamentable, whose highest hope and wish is that they might die like beasts. Let our inquiry be how an eternity of existence may be to us an eternity of enjoyment. To answer this question is the grand design of revelation. Jesus is revealed as the Son of God and the Hope of sinners.