O my soul,
What do you make of this?
Be angry, and do not sin;
― Psalm 4:4a
Be angry. Why? It is commanded! And in that, do not sin. How? How can this be done? We’ll need to give some serious thought to this.
Let’s start by considering the new life that is in Christ. Paul sets the context.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
― Colossians 3:1-4
Let’s not progress past this too quickly⸺it is heady truth indeed! I have died and my life is hidden with Christ in God. My eternal being is secure and unassailable. Indeed my very life is Christ. Praise the Lord!
And what then? Paul continues in typical fashion with a therefore.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
― Colossians 3:5-8
None of these have any place in the new life, and of these things that must be put away, did you notice that anger appeared first in the list? But still,
Be angry, and do not sin;
― Psalm 4:4a
We may conclude that there are two different kinds of anger. And indeed the words are different.
For the anger which must be put aside, having no place in the new life in Christ, Paul uses the Greek word orgē, which is an anger full of emotion, violent passion in fact. This is the anger of not getting one’s own way. It is the anger of a bruised ego. And the word used for wrath means rage or passion. It is selfish, even childish in its inability to show restraint. Those must be put aside.
The psalmist wrote in Hebrew, which precludes direct comparison, but Paul also writes of the anger of the psalmist.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.
― Ephesians 4:26
Here he uses the Greek word parorgismos, which means indignation or wrath or exasperation. This is not rage. This is a righteous anger.
So, the command is to be angry with that righteous anger, with indignation at what ought not to be. But what is that? What should be the object of such anger? To answer that let’s consider what was the object of Jesus’ anger⸺for from time to time he was indeed angry.
Here’s one example.
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.
― Mark 11:15-18
Those who were the subject of his anger were very much on the inside of the religious establishment of the day, but their behaviour was brazen in its dishonouring of the Lord. Worthy of anger, wouldn’t you agree?
The way each gospel writer orders their account is interesting and surely rich in meaning. There’s just such a juxtaposition here which must be noticed, for this account of Jesus clearing the temple is immediately followed by this.
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
― Mark 11:20-21
O my soul, do you recall how I grappled previously with this hard teaching of the poor little fig tree being cursed for failing to bear figs out of season?
Jesus’ anger with that fig tree paralleled his anger with the Pharisees⸺those heinously prideful ones who should have been fruitful for the Kingdom but were not.
Now let’s return to our psalm and observe the context out of which it is written.
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!
― Psalm 4:1
Considering the psalm as a whole we see a man earnestly desiring to live a right life before the Lord while being so very aware of his dependence upon the Lord for that. O my soul, do you know this humble passion for personal holiness combined with complete dependence on Christ for his righteousness? I know that you do!
The psalmist has been in distress previously, and is again, and why is that?
O men, how long shall my honour be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?
― Psalm 4:2
The psalmist is despised and rejected by vain and dishonest men. And who are they? Their description is nuanced, literally sons of men. The ESV alternative translation renders it men of rank. So, privileged ones. Exalted ones. Vain and dishonest. Pharisees.
Be angry, O my soul, you must be angry at that which ought not to be, that which so dishonours the Lord, that pride and hypocrisy. And do not sin.
So how are we not to sin in this? There are two ways. The psalmist tells us the first right away.
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.
― Psalm 4:4-5
O my soul, in your own righteous anger know that you are not called to table-flipping and temple-clearing. That is Jesus’ work. Ponder on your bed and be silent. Put your trust in the Lord. Do you think he hasn’t seen this heinous behaviour? Do you think he doesn’t know? Do you think he won’t respond?
And Paul tells us the second.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
― Ephesians 4:26-27
Do you see? Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Do not hold on to it. You must lay it down and let it go.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
― Romans 12:19
And where does that leave the psalmist? Blessed and at peace.
You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
― Psalm 4:7-8
O my soul, be angry and do not sin! 🙏