Philippians 4:7 (DBY)

Passage

and the peace of God, which surpasses every understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts by Christ Jesus.

Nearby Context

Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be known of all men. The Lord [is] near.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses every understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:8 For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things [are] true, whatsoever things [are] noble, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] amiable, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue and if any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:9 What ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, these things do; and the God of peace shall be with you.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "peace", "surpasses", "understanding", "shall", "guard", "hearts", "thoughts", and "christ". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "peace" and "surpasses", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Be careful about nothing but in everything..." into verse 8's "For the rest brethren whatsoever things are...", so "peace" and "surpasses" belong inside that flow. In Philippians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "peace" and "surpasses" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.