3 Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask evilly, that ye may consume [it] in your pleasures.
And this is the boldness which we have towards him, that if we ask him anything according to his will he hears us.
and whatsoever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and practise the things which are pleasing in his sight.
Then shall they cry unto Jehovah, but he will not answer them; and he will hide his face from them at that time, according as they have wrought evil in their doings.
Whence [come] wars and whence fightings among you? [Is it] not thence, -- from your pleasures, which war in your members?
And he said also to [his] disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and *he* was accused to him as wasting his goods. And having called him, he said to him, What [is] this that I hear of thee? give the reckoning of thy stewardship, for thou canst be no longer steward.
And after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.
And Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which *I* am about to drink? They say to him, We are able.
And it came to pass, like as he called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear, saith Jehovah of hosts;
And thou, pray not for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring evil upon them, from which they shall not be able to escape; and they will cry unto me, and I will not hearken unto them.
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more when they bring it with a wicked purpose!
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also himself shall cry, and shall not be heard.
-- then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me.
Had I regarded iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not hear. But God hath heard; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on James 4
Commentary on James 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter we are directed to consider,
Jam 4:1-10
The former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring of strifes and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly pleasures and friendships, as that which carried their divisions to a shameful height.
Jam 4:11-17
In this part of the chapter,