3 ye ask, and ye receive not, because evilly ye ask, that in your pleasures ye may spend `it'.
And this is the boldness that we have toward Him, that if anything we may ask according to his will, He doth hear us,
and whatever we may ask, we receive from Him, because His commands we keep, and the things pleasing before Him we do,
Then do they cry unto Jehovah, And He doth not answer them, And hideth His face from them at that time, As they have made evil their doings.
Whence `are' wars and fightings among you? not thence -- out of your passions, that are as soldiers in your members?
And he said also unto his disciples, `A certain man was rich, who had a steward, and he was accused to him as scattering his goods; and having called him, he said to him, What `is' this I hear about thee? render the account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest not any longer be steward.
`And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;
And Jesus answering said, `Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, `We are able.'
And it cometh to pass, as He called, And they have not hearkened, So do they call, and I do not hearken, Said Jehovah of Hosts.
And thou, thou dost not pray for this people, Nor dost thou lift up for them cry and prayer, For I do not hearken in the time of their calling unto Me for their vexation.
Therefore thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am bringing in unto them evil, That they are not able to go out from, And they have cried unto Me, And I do not hearken unto them.
And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when ye increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full. Wash ye, make ye pure, Turn aside the evil of your doings, from before Mine eyes, Cease to do evil, learn to do good.
The sacrifice of the wicked `is' abomination, Much more when in wickedness he bringeth it.
Whoso is shutting his ear from the cry of the poor, He also doth cry, and is not answered.
Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
Iniquity, if I have seen in my heart, The Lord doth 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,