Matthew Henry Commentary James 5:12-18

"But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment. Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? 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: and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." — James 5:12-18 (ASV)

The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly shows contempt for God's name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation; instead, it demonstrates hostility towards God without cause and without benefit. It shows a person to be an enemy of God, however much they may claim His name or sometimes participate in acts of worship. But the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

In a day of affliction, nothing is more appropriate than prayer. The spirit is then most humble, and the heart is broken and tender. It is necessary to exercise faith and hope during afflictions; and prayer is the appointed means for obtaining and increasing these graces. Note that the saving of the sick is not attributed to the anointing with oil, but to prayer.

In a time of sickness, it is not cold and formal prayer that is effective, but the prayer of faith. The most important thing we should ask of God for ourselves and others in times of sickness is the pardon of sin. Let nothing be done to encourage anyone to delay, under the mistaken notion that a confession, a prayer, a minister's absolution and exhortation, or the sacrament, will make everything right in the end, where the duties of a godly life have been disregarded.

Acknowledging our faults to each other will greatly contribute to peace and brotherly love. And when a righteous person—a true believer, justified in Christ, and by His grace walking before God in holy obedience—presents an effective, fervent prayer, worked in their heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, stirring up holy affections and believing expectations, and so leading them to earnestly plead the promises of God at His mercy seat, it avails much. The power of prayer is demonstrated by the history of Elijah.

In prayer, we must not look to human merit, but to the grace of God. It is not enough to merely say a prayer; we must truly pray when we pray. Thoughts must be focused, desires firm and ardent, and graces exercised. This example of the power of prayer encourages every Christian to be earnest in prayer.

God never says to any of the descendants of Jacob, Seek my face in vain. Where God's answers to our prayers may involve less of the miraculous, there can still be just as much grace.