Psalm 4 "Be Angry and Do Not Sin"

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Psalm 4:1-2a, 4

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

    You have given me relief when I was in distress…

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

...Be angry, and do not sin;

    ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah

Comments:

This psalm begins with a cry to God for an answer, quickly followed by the acknowledgment that God has been faithful to provide relief in the psalmist’s distress in the past. I find that in my most angst-filled moments it is helpful to stop and remember God’s great track record in the past. This practice is very settling, even when people are saying things that aren’t true about you or tarnishing your reputation. Remembering God’s faithfulness to me is always a great remedy for the offenses of people.

The psalmist’s advice in v. 4 “Be angry, and do not sin” is not an unhealthy repression of the very real problem, but a command to do four very positive things. In the anger that rises up in the face of unjust treatment (by words and/or deeds),

1. Don’t sin. In other words, don’t make things worse by taking things into your own hands and stooping to their level.
2. Don’t speak out of your anger. I know from experience that it is too easy to return fire verbally and yet too hard to try to put out the fire that is started by our “righteous” response. I have to regularly remind myself that my wrath doesn't result in God’s righteousness. (James 1:19-20)
3. Ponder it in your heart on your beds. It is natural to replay the situation, but the wisdom here is that it is processed privately rather than publicly. It is not a rallying of public support but a personal act of trust in God. As I have said many times, Psalms allow us to process our emotions through the character of God. As a result, we are changed and enabled to do the fourth thing...
4. Offer the right sacrifices. Right sacrifices are not an outward performance of ritual or duty, but a sincere act of repentance, thankfulness, and trust. Will I choose to do this in the haboob of my offense? Right sacrifices can only be offered once I realize my need for the mercy of God.

Interestingly, v.4  is quoted in the New Testament in Ephesians 4:26…where it is emphasized that you should not carry your wrath over to the next day. As followers of Jesus, we are not storing these offenses away and planning our sweet revenge! Instead, we need to promptly process our emotions through God’s faithfulness and the mercy and grace that we ourselves have received. Don't let anger ferment into bitterness and hatred. Bring it all to the One who understands us and defends us. 

People may speak lies and slander us, minimizing our usefulness and value in the kingdom, but God is the one whose opinion counts. It is God himself who chooses us—setting us aside to play on his team! What an honor!

Psalm 80 "Angry with Their Prayers?"

Psalm for Today = 80:4-8

“O LORD God of hosts, 
          how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?

You have fed them with the bread of tears 
     and given them tears to drink in full measure. 
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, 
                                                         and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts; 
           let your face shine, that we may be saved!”

Comment: 

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

The psalmist honestly voices his lament to God. 

In verse 4 he asks a question I wonder whether we should consider—“how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?”

To the psalmist, it seemed that God was angry at their prayers. Whether or not he was accurate about God's feelings at that moment, his phrase begs an interesting question... "Is there a prayer that angers God?"

If the answer to that question is affirmative, then I have tougher questions to face.

If it is possible to pray in a way that displeases or angers God, I have to wonder if we might be praying the wrong things or praying for the wrong reasons. Now the box of questions opens before me...

• Are our prayers filled with self-righteousness or unfeigned trust in God alone for our salvation?
• Are we placing blame, gaslighting, and making excuses in our prayers, or are we confessing our sins and seeking God's mercy for all involved?
• Are we merely asking God to bless our plans or are we eager to participate in God’s plan?
• Do our prayers for blessing bring a curse on someone else? For us to "win" must someone else "lose"?
• Do we think God will honor our requests for our own comfort while we are oppressing others, or are we interceding in his name for his people (including the ones who don't know him yet)?
• If our kids asked us things the same way we present our requests to God, how would we feel?

In any event, the psalmist gets it right in the chorus, in verses 3, 7, and 19, we should look to God and the relational goodness of his presence for our restoration and salvation! May he turn us back to him, now and always!