Psalms 4 (Part III)

⁴ Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
⁵ Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the Lord.

The indication by all accounts of my brief study is this portion of "Be angry, yet not sin" is discussing the verbal reaction to the anger.  Note that this does not say "do not be angry", but only to "not sin".  Oh how wrong our culture teaches this today!  Too often anger is given equivalence to sin, so much that many a school teacher associates the two as the same.  And in so doing, they condemn boys most often who are trying to learn what to do with the emotion, when they should be teaching them how to handle the emotion.

I can't decide here if David is talking to himself or not.  I can see here where he could be writing his own thoughts down.  He is saying to himself to be careful with his anger over people loving worthlessness and seeking falsehoods but don't sin in his desire to verbally lash out and condemn.  Settle down to a quiet room and be still.  Focus on the spirit, the soul, and the heart inside that hears God the clearest and dwells closely with Him.  Notice that he still has not said to not be angry.  He is still very angry over their desire for things that are not of God.

The Jewish would say that the danger to verbal vomit is in opening one's mouth to Satan.  A person shouldn't curse himself or others, because as is said, the "lips are subject to a covenant".  That is, the lips can make promises and binding actions.  So, if one makes such a curse, they might, in fact, foretell what will take place.  If a person's words can bear fruit then they can bear a curse as well.  Certainly, no one wants an angel of Satan to hear the curse and take it to Satan so they can work for it to happen.

The NIV says "Tremble and do not sin".  The picture is of being so angry over unrighteousness that you can barely contain yourself and it is coming out physically through trembling.  "Yet, do not sin."  How?  By finding a quiet place to be still and "search your heart" for God.  Where He is there will be rest and peace and justice.  "Offer the sacrifices", pray for your own forgiveness from sins, and "trust in the Lord".  Know that He will forgive you and hear you and vengeance will be His in His perfect timing and manner.  And it may even be that once we get still and settle with the Spirit of God in our hearts that vengeance no longer is necessary, only righteousness for His sake.  Above all, trust in the Lord in your circumstance that He has the best interest of the situation at heart which will provide the best opportunity for the worst among all to choose Him, but when that time has passed His justice will be swift.