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section on worldliness and our endurance in the midst of a world antagonistic toward the
Christian way of life (4:1‐5, 11). James tells us the same thing Jesus said in the Sermon on the
Mount (Matthew 5:34‐37, 23: 16‐20).

“Swearing” here is not cursing; it is taking oaths based on something bigger or stronger than the
person making the oath. We do not have to lean on something bigger than ourselves to prop up
our statement. We should be so dependable in our statements that when we say yes, we mean
it and when we say no, we mean it. We do not have to add anything to cause people to believe
us. We will face God’s judgment if our lives are not strong enough in themselves. If we have to
depend on something else in our lives to be believable, God’s anger will be against us in this life
and at the judgment seat of Christ.

2. Faith Tested by Its Resorting to Prayer (13‐18)

In this section of scripture, James concentrates on the importance and power of prayer. He points
out that there will be those who are weak, not only physically but also in faith. For these people,
it would be necessary to have the elders anoint them with oil and use their faith so that the weak
person could receive healing and also forgiveness of sins. James did not want the one who was
weak to stay weak. Rather, he wanted them to become strong in faith like the elders who had
prayed for them. He went on to exhort them that one of the main causes of sickness in the
congregation was unconfessed sin between people and he encouraged these people.

A. Prayer in Emotional Reactions

Jas 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Is anyone among you afflicted (kakopathei: suffering)? let him pray. Is any merry (cheerful)? Let
him sing psalms (psalleto: praises accompanied by music).

The affliction in this verse is not sickness; it is distress or suffering. The first place a person should
turn for help in their “affliction” is to the Lord in prayer rather than to the world or even to the
church or counsel. This person has reached a point of distress or oppression, the opposite of
being “merry.”

The merry person is to sing psalms or praises accompanied by music. The Lord is the first place
we should turn whether we are depressed and going through suffering or we are cheerful and
singing songs. If we turn to the Lord at all times, both in oppression and cheer, our condition will
not get worse. We can live in perpetual health, mentally and physically, when we focus our
attention on the Lord in every situation. His Word is a continual medicine to our emotions and
bodies (Proverbs 20: 20‐24).

B. Prayer for Believers’ Needs

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over
him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: