The interpretation timeline

Jas 5:13

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

3 Patristic · 1 Orthodox · 1 Reformed

Jas 5:13 · Douay-Rheims
“Is any of you sad? Let him pray. Is he cheerful in mind? Let him sing.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
637
A.D.
c. A.D. 563–637
“What should you do when you are in trouble? Call on God. And what should you do when you are happy? Praise him.”
735
A.D.
Bede Patristic
A.D. 673–735
“Is anyone among you in trouble? etc. He who previously forbade brothers to groan to each other under trials now demonstrates what should be done in contrast. If, he says, any of you is oppressed by sadness, whether an injury received from other men may accidentally occur, or by an incidental fault, or by a domestic loss overwhelming, or by any other reason you are caused grief, in no way at that hour should you murmur amongst yourselves and convene to complain about God's judgments, but rather run to the church, pray to the Lord on bended knees, so that He may send the grace of His consolation, lest the sadness of the world, which works death, swallow you (II Cor. VII). Also, drive away the harmful plague of sadness from your heart by the sweetness of frequent Psalm-singing.”
Source
391 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500
1126
A.D.
c. 1055–1107
“Let prayer accompany suffering, so that for the one being tried the way out of trials may be easier. Then, when our agitations have been stilled through prayer and the soul has attained the state proper to it, let it sing psalms, so that its blessedness may be multiplied, for the singing of psalms, according to Basil the Great, produces a peaceful and sorrowless state of the soul. Whoever has not attained such a state, which David calls holiness, urging the saints to sing to the Lord (Ps. 30:4), the prayer of such a one long remains mere idle talk.”
Source
745 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Post-Reformation c. 1650 – 1900
1871
A.D.
1871
“afflicted--referring to the "suffering affliction" (Jam 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.”
Undated date unknown
Oecumenius Patristic
c. A.D. 550
“Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Prayer go together with affliction, so that for the one who is afflicted, the withdraw from afflictions or temptations may be lighter. Then, when through prayer it has pleased God to remove the things that trouble us, and the soul has reached its state of peace and tranquility, let him sing psalms, so that what is beneficial may be multiplied, and it may delight in spiritual joy. Indeed, joy and gladness are the right state of the mind, according to our great Basil, for hymns or divine praises confer the grace of consolation. Therefore, whoever has not progressed in this way, nor reached such a state, which David also calls holiness: "Sing to the Lord, you His saints," (Ps. 30:4) does great nonsense, singing vainly and empty, as the proverb says.”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.