James 5 · Verse 13

James 5:13

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
James 5:13, King James Version

James 5:13 in other translations

BSBIs any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.
WEBIs any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.
ASVIs any among you suffering? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him sing praise.
YLTDoth any one suffer evil among you? let him pray; is any of good cheer? let him sing psalms;
DARBYDoes any one among you suffer evil? let him pray. Is any happy? let him sing psalms.
BBEIs anyone among you in trouble? let him say prayers. Is anyone glad? let him make a song of praise.
WebsterIs any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him sing psalms.

What does James 5:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. afflicted--referring to the "suffering affliction" (Jas 5:10). let him pray--not "swear" in rash impatience. merry--joyous in mind. sing psalms--of praise. Paul and Silas sang psalms even in affliction.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. 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, (κακοπαθει.)

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 unto us "a happy issue out of all our afflictions;" he can make them the means of sanctifying the soul. Compare 2Chr 33:12; Ps 34:4; 107:6,13,28. It matters not what is the form of the trial, it is a privilege which 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 ever lives. He never fails us or disappoints us if we trust in him, and his ear is ever 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 men were denied the access to the throne of grace. As it is, there is no one so poor that he may not pray; no one so disconsolate and forsaken that he may not find in God a friend; no one so broken-hearted that he is not able to bind up his spirit. 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 which 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, Prov 15:13,16; 17:22; Isa 24:7; Lk 15:23-24,29,32. The Greek word used here (ευθυμει) means, literally, to have the mind well, (ευ and θυμος;) that is, to have it happy, or free from trouble; to be cheerful.

Let him sing psalms. That is, if any one 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. Compare Eph 5:19-20. On the meaning of the word here rendered "sing psalms," Eph 5:9, where it is rendered making melody. It does not mean to sing psalms in contradistinction from 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.

(a) "pray" 2Chr 33:12; Jonah 2:2 (+) "merry" or, "cheerful" (b) "sing psalms" Eph 5:19

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray - The Jews taught that the meaning of the ordinance, Lev 13:45, which required the leper to cry, Unclean! unclean! was, "that thus making known his calamity, the people might be led to offer up prayers to God in his behalf," Sota, page 685, ed. Wagens. They taught also, that when any sickness or affliction entered a family, they should go to the wise men, and implore their prayers. Bava bathra, fol. 116, 1. In Nedarim, fol. 40, 1, we have this relation: "Rabba, as often as he fell sick, forbade his domestics to mention it for the first day; if he did not then begin to get well, he told his family to go and publish it in the highways, that they who hated him might rejoice, and they that loved him might intercede with God for him." Is any merry? let him sing psalms - These are all general but very useful directions. It is natural for a man to sing when he is cheerful and happy. Now no subject can be more noble than that which is Divine: and as God alone is the author of all that good which makes a man happy, then his praise should be the subject of the song of him who is merry. But where persons rejoice in iniquity, and not in the truth, God and sacred things can never be the subject of their song.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 5:12-18

The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God's name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, but is showing enmity to God without occasion and without advantage It shows a man to be an enemy to God, however he pretends to call himself by his name, or sometimes joins in acts of worship. But the…

Read the full comment on James 5:12-18 →

James 5:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚακοπαθεῖKakopatheiIs suffering hardshipsG2553
τιςtisanyoneG5100
ἐνenamongG1722
ὑμῖν;huminyou?G4771
προσευχέσθω·proseuchesthōhe should pray;G4336
εὐθυμεῖeuthumeiIs cheerfulG2114
τις;tisanyone?G5100
ψαλλέτω.psalletōhe should sing praises.G5567

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for James 5:13

  • Psalms 50:15

    And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

  • Jonah 2:2

    And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

  • Ephesians 5:19

    Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

  • Acts 16:24-25

    Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

  • Revelation 19:1-6

    And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. …

  • Hebrews 5:7

    Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

  • Revelation 5:9-14

    And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. …

  • Jonah 2:7

    When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

  • Hosea 6:1

    Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

    And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

  • Colossians 3:16-17

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

  • Psalms 118:5

    I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
any among.
2Ch 33:12,13; Job 33:26; Ps 18:6; 50:15; 91:15; 116:3-5; 118:5
Ps 142:1-3; La 3:55,56; Ho 6:1; Jon 2:2,7; Lu 22:44; 23:42
Ac 16:24,25; 2Co 12:7-10; Heb 5:7
any merry.
Jud 16:23-25; Da 5:4
let him sing.
1Ch 16:9; Ps 95:2; 105:2; Mic 4:5; Mt 26:30; 1Co 14:26; Eph 5:19
Col 3:16,17; Re 5:9-14; 7:10; 14:3; 19:1-6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • James 5:12

    But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

  • James 5:13

    Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

  • James 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:

Read all of James 5

James 5:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Está alguno entre vosotros afligido? haga oración. ¿Está alguno alegre? cante salmos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Quelqu’un parmi vous est-il maltraité, qu’il prie. Quelqu’un est-il joyeux, qu’il chante des cantiques.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Leidet jemand unter euch Trübsal? er bete. Ist jemand gutes Mutes? er singe Psalmen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tristatur aliquis vestrum? oret. Æquo animo est? psallat.