Draw nigh to God; by faith, which is a coming to God, Hebrews 7:25; by true repentance, which is a returning to God, Hosea 14:1 Zechariah 3:7; and by fervent prayer to him for the help of his grace, Psalms 25:1. And he will draw nigh to you; by the manifestation of his grace and favour to you, particularly giving you strength against the devil and your lusts. Cleanse your hands; reform your actions, amend your lives. Hands, the principal instruments of bodily actions, being put for the actions themselves; cleanness of hands signifies the innocency of the outward conversation, Job 22:30 Psalms 24:4, Psalms 26:6 Isaiah 33:15,16. Ye sinners; you that are openly and notoriously vicious, whose wickedness appears in your ordinary practices: so such are called, Matthew 11:19 Mark 2:15 Luke 7:37, Luke 15:2 1 Thessalonians 9:31. And purify your hearts; your thoughts and inward affections, from whence the evils of your outward actions proceed, Isaiah 60:7: see 1 Peter 1:22 1 John 3:3. Ye double minded; either by the former he understands the profane, and by these, hypocrites, or the same by both, viz. such as had wicked hearts, and led wicked lives; only he shows wherein true repentance consists, viz. in the reformation both of the inward and outward man.
Related Commentaries of James 4:8
James 4:8
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.