James 4:16

“But now ye rejoice in your boastings, etc.] Of tomorrow, and of the continuance of life, and of going to such a place, and abiding there for such a time, and of trading and trafficking with great success, to the obtaining of much gain and riches; (see <202701>Proverbs 27:1) all such rejoicing is evil; wicked and atheistical, as expressing a neglect of and independence on Providence; arrogating and ascribing too much to themselves, their power and will, as if they had their lives and fortunes in their own hands, and at their own dispose, when all depend upon the will of God. The Syriac version renders it, “all such rejoicing is from evil”; from an evil heart, and from the evil one, Satan.”

“now--as it is. rejoice in . . . boastings--"ye boast in arrogant presumptions," namely, vain confident fancies that the future is certain to you (Jam 4:13). rejoicing--boasting [BENGEL].”

“But now ye rejoice in your boastings - That is, probably, in your boastings of what you can do; your reliance on your own skill and sagacity. You form your plans for the future as if with consummate wisdom, and are confident of success. You do not anticipate a failure; you do not see how plans so skilfully formed can fail. You form them as if you were certain that you would live; as if secure from the numberless casualties which may defeat your schemes. All such rejoicing is evil - It is founded on a wrong view of yourselves and of what may occur. It shows a spirit forgetful of our dependence on God; forgetful of the uncertainty of life; forgetful of the many ways by which the best-laid…”

“4:16 Christians may boast about what God has done (1:9-10), but not about their own arrogant plans, which assume that God has no claim or authority over their lives.”

“Jam 3:14; Psa 52:1, Psa 52:7; Pro 25:14, Pro 27:1; Isa 47:7, Isa 47:8, Isa 47:10; Co1 4:7, Co1 4:8, Co1 5:6; Rev 18:7 James 4:17”