Albert Barnes Commentary James 5:13

"Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise." — James 5:13 (ASV)

Is any among you afflicted? By sickness, bereavement, disappointment, persecutions, loss of health or property. The word used here refers to suffering evil of any kind (kakopathei).

Let him pray. That is, prayer is appropriate to trial. The mind naturally resorts to it, and in every way it is proper. God only can remove the source of sorrow; He can grant to us "a happy issue out of all our afflictions;" He can make them the means of sanctifying the soul. (Compare to 2 Chronicles 33:12; Psalms 34:4; Psalms 107:6, 13, 28; Jonah 2:2).

It does not matter what the form of the trial is; it is a privilege that all have to go to God in prayer. And it is an inestimable privilege. Health fails, friends die, property is lost, disappointments come upon us, danger threatens, death approaches—and to whom shall we go but to God?

He always lives. He never fails us or disappoints us if we trust in Him, and His ear is always open to our cries. This would be a sad world indeed if it were not for the privilege of prayer. The last resource of millions who suffer—for millions suffer every day—would be taken away if people were denied access to the throne of grace.

As it is, there is no one so poor that he cannot pray; no one so disconsolate and forsaken that he cannot find in God a friend; no one so broken-hearted that he cannot have his spirit bound up. One of the designs of affliction is to lead us to the throne of grace; and it is a happy result of trials if we are led by our trials to seek God in prayer.

Is any merry? The word merry now conveys an idea that is not properly found in the original word here. It refers now, in common usage, to light and noisy pleasure; to that which is jovial; to that which is attended with laughter, or which causes laughter, as a merry jest. In the Scriptures, however, the word properly denotes cheerful, pleasant, agreeable, and is applied to a state of mind free from trouble—the opposite of affliction—happy (Proverbs 15:13, 16; Proverbs 17:22; Isaiah 24:7; Luke 15:23–24, 29, 32).

The Greek word used here (euthumei) means, literally, to have the mind well (eu and thumos); that is, to have it happy, or free from trouble; to be cheerful.

Let him sing psalms. That is, if anyone is happy; if he is in health, and is prospered; if he has his friends around him, and there is nothing to produce anxiety; if he has the free exercise of conscience and enjoys religion, it is proper to express that in notes of praise. .

Regarding the meaning of the word rendered "sing psalms" here, see the comments on Ephesians 5:9, where it is rendered making melody. It does not mean to sing psalms in contradistinction to singing hymns, but the reference is to any songs of praise. Praise is appropriate to such a state of mind. The heart naturally gives utterance to its emotions in songs of thanksgiving. The sentiment in this verse is well expressed in the beautiful stanza:

In every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain I bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.
Mrs. Williams.