The verse “Be angry, and do not sin” (Psalm 4:4 ESV) teaches an important lesson about properly handling anger as Christians. At first glance it may seem contradictory – how can we be angry yet not sin at the same time? A closer look at the full verse in its context reveals the biblical perspective on righteous versus unrighteous anger.
The Context of Psalm 4
Psalm 4 is attributed to David. In verses 1-3 David cries out to God in his time of trouble and asks for relief from distress. He then addresses the “sons of men” (perhaps his enemies or false accusers) and rebukes them for turning God’s glory into shame. David affirms his faith in God as the one who hears his prayers. After cautioning against sinful anger, David concludes with the assurance that only God can provide true safety and pure joy.
Anger is Not Inherently Sinful
The first key point is that anger itself is not inherently sinful. Some emotions, like lust or envy, are sinful in their very essence. But anger is fundamentally neutral – it takes on a sinful or righteous quality based on what provokes it and how it is expressed. Several verses illustrate righteous anger:
- “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26 ESV)
- “And when [Jesus] had looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart…” (Mark 3:5 ESV)
- “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?” (Isaiah 45:9 ESV)
In these instances, Jesus, God, and the prophet Isaiah rightfully expressed anger over things like injustice, hard-heartedness, and arrogance. Anger becomes sinful when it is unrestrained, excessive, or directed at the wrong objects for the wrong reasons.
Anger Over Holiness and Purity is Justified
Psalm 4 seems to indicate David’s anger stems from seeking God’s holiness and moral purity. He begins by asserting “the godly” belong to the Lord and imploring God to hear his cries. He likely feels zeal for righteousness against those mocking and rebelling against God’s ways. This aligns with other portions of Scripture:
- “Be angry, and do not sin”… (Ephesians 4:26 ESV)
- “For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.” (Proverbs 6:34 ESV)
- “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:9 ESV)
Anger rooted in seeking God’s glory and defending truth is not the same as fleshly, selfish anger. The key distinction is whether anger flows from pride and wounded ego, versus genuine concern for God’s honor.
Expressing Anger Without Sinning
After establishing anger is sometimes justified, Psalm 4:4 teaches the importance of expressing anger righteously. Uncontrolled venting often escalates sin. This verse and others provide guidance for avoiding sinful anger:
- “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19 ESV)
- “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” (Proverbs 14:29 ESV)
- “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11 ESV)
Bring anger to God in prayer rather than holding onto it:
- “You have taken notice of trouble and grief, to repay with hand of vengeance. The helpless entrusts himself to you…” (Psalm 10:14 ESV)
- “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22 ESV)
Finally, anger must be short-lived and notallowed to fester into bitterness or wrath:
- “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 ESV)
Anger can be righteous when it stems from zeal for God’s glory and expressed self-control. Taking time to pray and process angry feelings prevents unchecked sin. With wisdom and patience, Christians can emulate God’s model of righteous anger.
Examples of Sinful Anger
In contrast to righteous anger, the Bible contains many examples of sinful angermanifesting in destructive ways:
- Murder – Cain killed Abel out of anger over God preferring Abel’s sacrifice (Genesis 4:5-8)
- Temper – Pharaoh frequently flew into rages, killing Israelites (Exodus 5, 7:20-23)
- Plot evil – Haman fumed over Mordecai’s refusal to honor him (Esther 3:5-6)
- Vengeance – Samson burned Philistine fields in retaliation (Judges 15:1-5)
- Insults – The Pharisees were furious at Jesus and hurled insults (John 8:48-59)
Common roots of sinful anger include jealousy, pride, hatred, lack of self-control, and desire for revenge. If left unchecked, it often leads to violence, discord, damaged relationships, and grief.
Anger Management Strategies
Scripture not only warns against sinful anger, but provides strategies for managing anger appropriately:
- Examine motives – “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me…” (Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)
- Confess and repent – “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40 ESV)
- Seek peace – “…let him seek peace and pursue it.” (1 Peter 3:11 ESV)
- Forgive others – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
- Trust God’s justice – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves…leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'” (Romans 12:19 ESV)
In addition to these biblical principles, other helpful anger management practices include exercising, journaling, and sharing feelings with a trusted friend or counselor. The goal is channeling anger constructively versus destructively.
The Danger of Unresolved Anger
Psalm 4:4 warns against letting anger persist and control us. Unresolved anger often leads to many sins:
- Bitterness – “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God…that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:15 ESV)
- Wrath – “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31 ESV)
- Ruined relationships – “Anger rests in the bosom of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 ESV)
- Violence – “…the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20 ESV)
Unresolved anger gives the devil a foothold when allowed to smolder. It leads to strained relationships, often alienating friends, family, and community. Anger uncontrolled clouds judgment and perception of reality. That’s why Scripture commands dealing with anger promptly before it escalates.
Jesus’ Example of Righteous Anger
No one models righteous anger like Jesus. Throughout the gospels, Jesus expressed appropriate anger at sin and injustice, while maintaining perfect self-control and composure. He is described as:
- “Gentle and lowly in heart…” (Matthew 11:29 ESV)
- “Full of grace and truth…” (John 1:14 ESV)
- Hating “wickedness” (Psalm 45:7 Hebrews 1:9 ESV)
- Moved to anger by religious hypocrisy (Mark 3:1-6)
- Forcefully driving out temple merchants (John 2:13-17)
- Denouncing towns for unbelief (Matthew 11:20-24)
- Angered at hard hearts (Mark 3:1-6)
In every case, Jesus’ anger stemmed from a desire to defend God’s glory and confront injustice. His motives flowed from love and zeal for truth. Even in righteous anger, Jesus never lost self-control or composure.
The Holy Spirit’s Help
Controlling anger ultimately requires help from the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 reminds us to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” The Spirit produces self-control along with other godly virtues (Galatians 5:22-23). As believers repent and walk in the Spirit, they can reflect more of God’s righteous anger versus human sinful anger.
The Holy Spirit also reminds Christians of their new identity in Christ and empowers them to act accordingly. Ephesians 4:22-24 contrasts the old and new self: “Put off your old self…be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” God designed His children for holy living by the Spirit’s power.
Seeking Help from Christian Community
For those struggling with chronic anger issues, seeking help within Christian community provides needed support and accountability for change. James 5:16 promotes confession to one another accompanied by prayer. Other believers can listen, pray, counsel gently, and walk alongside anger-prone individuals. God often uses His body to promote healing.
Additionally, receiving guidance from church leaders helps apply Scripture to address anger’s roots. Pastors and counselors can help develop an anger management plan if behavioral patterns exist. At times, professional Christian counseling may be warranted to uncover and resolve sources of ongoing sinful anger.
Anger is incredibly dangerous or incredibly useful. The Bible acknowledges its reality while warning believers not to let “the sun go down” on their anger. With God’s help and the Christian community’s support, it’s possible to harness anger appropriately for God’s purposes instead of our own.
Learning to Be Slow to Anger
A key principle running throughout the Bible is being slow to anger. Patience, wisdom and self-control restrain anger. Proverbs 14:29 states, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Believers should earnestly develop longsuffering like God:
- “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8 ESV)
- “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 145:8 ESV)
Steps toward growing in patience and slowing anger include:
- Putting off hostility, rage, irritability (Colossians 3:8)
- Meditating on Scripture about slowness to anger
- Committing to a time of prayer before reacting
- Counting to ten or stepping away when provoked
- Asking God to change angry thought patterns
- Practicing self-control in small daily circumstances
When believers feel anger rising up, they can pause to pray “Lord, slow me down. Give me wisdom to respond, not react.” Just these few seconds of seeking God’s help can prevent hasty words or actions followed by regret. The more Christians make this their habit, the more easily patience will come when provoked.
Anger and Conflict Resolution
Anger often flares up during interpersonal conflict. How can believers resolve disagreements without sinning in anger? Scriptural principles for navigating conflict include:
- Overlook minor offenses – “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11 ESV)
- Humble yourself and seek peace – “…the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 ESV)
- Listen carefully – “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger…” (James 1:19 ESV)
- Speak gently – “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6 ESV)
- Consider others’ perspectives – “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3 ESV)
- Confess faults – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16 ESV)
Employing these strategies allows peaceful resolution versus escalation into a destructive conflict. Expressing anger during disagreements often worsens matters. Seeking to listen, understand, find compromise, and admit wrongs minimizes sinful anger’s damaging impact.
Guarding Our Hearts
Ultimately, managing anger starts with guarding our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 urges, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Our words and actions flow from the heart’s condition. Scripture links uncontrolled anger to pride, foolishness, and evil desires:
- “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32 ESV)
- “Wrath is cruel, anger is outrageous, but who can stand before jealousy?” (Proverbs 27:4 ESV)
- “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.” (Proverbs 21:24 ESV)
- “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16 ESV)
Conversely, wisdom, justice, righteousness, and joy characterize a heart guarded by the Holy Spirit. Believers must nurture spiritual disciplines like Scripture reading, prayer, fellowship, and confession to cultivate a heart that produces godly responses rather than anger.
Conclusion
Anger presents a great challenge for believers. Psalm 4:4’s command to “be angry and do not sin” highlights the need for righteous versus sinful anger. Scripture gives many warnings against destructive anger and practical wisdom for expressing it appropriately. With the Holy Spirit’s help, Christians can move toward righteous anger and restraint, just as Jesus modeled. The ultimate goal is living out Jesus’ peacemaking mandate as beloved children of our Heavenly Father.